030325 USDA Nears Decision on School Irradiated Meat

Washington - The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) said consumer advocates and industry groups must submit by April 11 their comments on how to introduce irradiated meat into the national school lunch program.

Irradiation, which has been endorsed by the World Health Organization, exposes food to low doses of electrons or gamma rays to destroy potentially deadly microorganisms such as E. coli O157:H7 and salmonella. It causes chemical changes but does not leave food radioactive.

Congress last year required the USDA to allow government-approved food safety technologies such as irradiation to be used in commodities purchased by the federal school lunch program.

Some 27 million school children receive free or low-cost meals daily in the program, which currently prohibits irradiated meat.

USDA officials had hoped to implement the measure by the end of last year, but it has since been delayed.

Since the USDA invited public input in November, thousands of parents have submitted comments criticizing the proposal to allow irradiated meat. They claim their children will be used as "guinea pigs," saying not enough research has been conducted on irradiation to assure its safety.

Meat industry officials have dismissed the letters, saying they were organized by the Washington-based consumer advocacy group Public Citizen and do not represent overall public opinion.

Seeking a compromise, some industry groups have recommended that the USDA implement pilot programs to introduce irradiated meat gradually to school cafeterias.

RETURN TO HOME PAGE

E-mail: sflanagan@sprintmail.com