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MAY- 6-97 TUE 7 5 ~ O1 frF<' PMA FAX N0. 3027312409 P. 03
<br /> ~,.,,,.o~o.,
<br /> Produce Marketing Association
<br /> Position Paper on irradiation
<br /> Irradi :lion is defined as exposure to radiant energy or AIStOry
<br /> radiaton, Irradiation preserves food by using a law dose
<br /> of hig'a-energy gamma rays to kill microorganisms and Irradiation was first pater'.ed for food ,rzserva!ie.a in
<br /> insects that might conLuninate a product and to extend f
<br /> a product's shelf life by slowing the maturation process. the United Sites in 1921 Since then, health anti srht'y
<br /> Irrads~tion is not added to food but rather passes authorities in 37 countries have approved the irr~dia•
<br /> thr0u,ft it like a ray of light or microwaves such as are hop of approximately 50 Rrods, including spices, ;ra+ns
<br /> used in cocking. Thzre'ore, it does not,vuse the food fruits, vzgetables, and chi .ken. '1\uznty-€our couutriu
<br /> to become radioacdive a:ad doesn~t increase human ai'e engaged in commerci J•sca~e irradiation of sprzcific
<br /> expus:re to radiation. food items.
<br /> lrradiaTden is used on fruitr and vegetables to eliminate Irradiation has been caret dly rrsearched by into, ,a-
<br /> infesLJon, to inhibit growth and maturation, and to Goral e:cpertr. An expert . ommittee of the Food and
<br /> pre<~ent spoilage. (Irradiation cannot make bad foods Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the Unite) Nz~ions;
<br /> good by reversing spoilage or maturation, but it car', the lntemational Atomic +:nergy Agency (]AF.A); and
<br /> stop or slow it down. If a food is rotten before irradia- the World Nealth Organi: rtion (W}i0) conc!udati in
<br /> lion, it will be rotten afterwards, and, therefore, will not 1980 that "the irradiador. of any food commodity up to
<br /> meet government standards or consumer scrutiny) an overall dose of lOkGy t 1,000 kiiorads) przsz:aL no
<br /> Irradi,ry0n aao tills mi~~robiological contamirants such toxicological hazard." Tha report also concluded that
<br /> as Sal-aonella and can serve as an alternative to chemi• this process does not eau:,: special nutritional or
<br /> cal fumigants. microbiological problems in food.
<br /> The z,~ipmznt used for irradiation is a machine In the tinned States, irrat'~ation has been approvrd for
<br /> contsning,nencils of cobalt 60 store) in water in a use on foods since 1963 f,r the control of inset+~ in
<br /> cencr~;te room, The water acts as a shield to the gamma wheat and wheat flour an~i since 1964 (or the preven•
<br /> rays. then ttre irradiation chamber is being used, the lion of sprouting in potat:es. In February 1'.384, FD.1
<br /> cobalt b0 pencils are out of the water, thereby irradiat- issued a proposal to pem•:!t the use of inadia,tion to
<br /> ing produrt that passes through the chamber. (During inhibit the growth and rr .turaCion of fresh frui3 and
<br /> Ghis time, the chamber is locked so that people are not fresh vegetables, to disinf st food of insects and to
<br /> expos::d to the gamma rays) The product to be irradi- disinfest spices of micron ganisms. FDA reported t7iat
<br /> ated is brought into the chamber cn a pallet on a foods irradiated at doses cp to 1kGy are wheieso,nz an.',
<br /> CQRVeyOC be1L A.4er the product has been irradiated, it safe for human consume' ion, even in cases wherz ttaz
<br /> is pis::ed into another roam and the next producrt is irradiated food represenL~ a laz(;e portion of the dzt. In
<br /> transported into the chamber. Wren the chamber is not tum, Iew-dose irradiation was approved for [ruia~ and
<br /> being used, the cob~t pencils are again Immersed in vegetabies to control mat ;ration. (It is irnporG~n!. to
<br /> water, and people can re•entzr the room. Food irradia- note that the 1kGy that tJ e FDA allows is si~nific>ant!y
<br /> Gon fzcili@zs are similar to those in which ionizing less than the level of lOk''y deemed sa`e by inter:,a-
<br /> energy has been used to sterilize medical products in tional experts.)
<br /> the U.S. fer many years. The state o(blaine banne :the sale of irradiatzd who'e
<br /> foods zxczpt spices. Ve York and Ne+v Jersey had
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