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FROM: POLS FAH NO.: 18089747670 05-05-97 03 ~47P P.05 compounds produced during irradiation are identical to those formed durine cooking. steaming, roasting, pasteurization, freezing, and other forms of food preparation (8,10,12). Free radicals are even produced during the natural ripening of fruits and vegetables (22). All reliable scientific evidence, based on animal feeding tests and consumption by human volunteers, indicates that these products pose no unique risk to human beings In fact, people requiring the safest food, hospital patients receiving bone marrow transplants, are routinely given irradiated foods. Furthermore. because spices, being of tropical origin, are often microbe laden, irradiated spices are preferred for routine use in hospital foodservice for patients. Thus, as with pasteurization, the evidence suggests that food irradiation can make a quality food supply better. The American Medical Association's Report of the Council on Scientific Affairs on Food Irradiation (10) agreed with a WHO policy statement (4,24) released in 1992 "Irradiated food produced under established Good Manufacturing Practices is to be considered safe and nutritionally adequate because' i) the process of irradiation will not introduce changes in the composition of the food which, from a toxicological point of view, would impose an adverse effect on human health; ii) the process of irradiation will not introduce changes in the microflora of the food which would increase the microbiological risk to the consumer; iii) the process of irradiation will not introduce nutrient losses in the composition of the food,which, from a nutritional point of view, would impose an adverse effect on the nutritional status of individuals or populations (10)." Environmental Safety of Food Irradiation Strict regulations govern the transportation and handling of radioactive material. Irradiation facilities are constructed to withstand earthquakes and other natural disasters without endangering the community or workers Radioactive material is transported in canisters tested to withstand collisions, fires, and pressure. Worker safety is protected by a multifaceted protection system within [he plant (11)_ The 60Co used by US commercial facilities is specifically produced for use in irradiation of medical supplies and other materials, It is not a waste product of any other activity, and it cannot be used to make nuclear weapons. It is estimated that all the spent 60Co to date could fi[ in an office desk (8,9). Disposal of 60Co is carefully arranged by the producer. US Regulation of Food Irradiation Congress defined the sources of ionizing energy as food additives and included them in the Food Additives Amendment to the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (25), thus delegating the main regulatory responsibility to the FDA Additionally, two agencies within the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) are involved in the process: the Food Safety and Inspection Service, which develops standards for the safe use of irradiation nn meat and poultry products. and the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, which monitors programs designed to enhance animal and plant health (eg, using irradiation as an insect quarantine treatment in fresh produce) (25). All irradiated foods in the United States must be labeled with a radura, the international symbol for irradiation F; ure 4 and the words "treated by irradiation" or "treated with 5~5; 97 11.12 AM 4ofR