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MAY- 6-97 TUE 15 ~ O 1 Lf' PMA FA}{ N0, 3027312409 p, Oq
<br /> issues! moratoria on the sale of irradiated (nods, though be individually labeled Ir either arse, their,`er,7 ~r_cn
<br /> the moratona hay:e since expired AcconJing to a U.S. must be prominently and coruyicuously disfla; z i
<br /> Genera! Accountlng Otfce report prepared in May 1990 (Only fends that have bee. ~ itracliated need to bz Iae'e?
<br /> at the request of Rep. Douglas Bosco (D-CA), "offidals Foods that contain irradia ed irgredier,ts do not ,end t
<br /> of thesz states told us U` at their states took the actions be fabelad.) Processors or Gackagers can cho~;se tr~ z^d
<br /> in res;~onse to public concern by dozen groups rather other labeling, such as "I. adiated for disinfes;~~d;n" or
<br /> than as a result of scientific evidence questioning the "irradiatced to preserve fro hness."
<br /> safety of food irradiation."
<br /> [n b':ay 1992, the World Health Organization again Satety and Nutritional Qualify
<br /> convened a pane! of expzrts in Ger,ev~a to evaluate the
<br /> safety of food irradiatior:. Once again, the WHO The irradiaton process p. >duees very Iit~Je she,,-a <J
<br /> concluded that irradiation is a "perfectly sound" means change in food, and those few changes have not b::esr
<br /> of preszrving food supplies. "Sceentific research shows found to be dangerous or itatmful. In fact, evf;e;t•
<br /> this is a perfectly sound food-preservation technology reveal teat the changes ar: so minor that they are
<br /> badly needed in a world where food-home diseases are difficult to detect and are similar chemically to th ue
<br /> on tine increase and where between nee-quarter and changes that occurwhen nod is cooked or ale<.>d to
<br /> one-third of the global food supply is lost post-harvest-" sunlighr_
<br /> sad Dr. Friiz Kaeferstein, head of WIiO's food sa,°ety
<br /> unit. Irrzdia6on at doses that f. sh produce can tclera(a does
<br /> not alter its caloric value .;r nutritional quality sitniri-
<br /> In ad~iUon to FDA, WHO, FAO, and IAE.a, the accep- BUY To put it in perspe live, because the a'Icr~•~:blo
<br /> Lance of irradiation as a safe process has Come from irradiation levels are so Ic r, irradiated fruits ?ed
<br /> such organizations ss th:e Council for Agricultural vegetables have less nutritional loss than fru~s er
<br /> Science and Technology, the Institute of Food Tech- vegetables that are heat p. xess•id. Of the minin~z'.
<br /> nologsts, the American ,vledical Association, and nutrit'onal loss that may : ~CCUr in fruits and vez'ab's,
<br /> others. No expert government body has z`'er slated Chat it is the micronutrients - ,vitamins, in particular - fr~at
<br /> irradiated foods are unsrle. are affected. Extensive re< arch has shown that rr xro-
<br /> nutrienis, such as protein; carbohydratzs, and let, are
<br /> Currently, irradiated produce is sold in Limited quanti• relatively stable to radiatlc 1 doses of up to 1CkGy N;^.'cf
<br /> ties. First, not all produce can be irradiated because the is far more than produce vill tolerate, FAO, WliO, and
<br /> composition of some fruits and vevetables is not IAE.4 sf<ited in their sand lions in 1980 that in a!i:
<br /> cond.;uve to it. Secondly, because there is only one lion does not Cause spelt' nutritional problems i 1
<br /> facility in the (i.S. irradiating produce, cost, availability, food.
<br /> and distribution are limiting factors.
<br /> Thee are no materials pr-sent in irradia°ion egc:i,;mn`.
<br /> taee~in drat could generate an ex; losion and no radaaacii,iry is
<br /> 9 ~
<br /> ~
<br /> ~ released into the environr enL It i5 also impassi:`az for
<br /> a "meltdown" to occur in a garr.ma irradiator. Tt e
<br /> source of radiatlon energy used at irradiztors can .ct
<br /> Consumers Can easily recognize irradiated products produce neutrons -subs races which a,n rr:~ke
<br /> because FDA rzquires tl;e international logo for irradia- maierias radioactive sc a nuclear chain re:,di0n
<br /> lion the radura to be included on the packages of cannot occur at an irradir'or. Fill irradiation facii ties
<br /> all focd that hu been irradiated, The words "treated are licensed and inspector by the Atomic Ernrgy
<br />
<br /> with radiation" or "trea'.ed by irradiation" must also Regulatory Authority in t e sta~.ewhere the facility is
<br /> apGear on the principal label. For irradiated [nods not in located and by the Nude<• Regulatory Cummissirn.
<br /> package form, the rec;uired logo and phrase must be
<br />
<br /> displa}ed on either the labeling of the bulk container Within the facility, strid:• ifety precautions are tz';zr.
<br />
<br /> plainly in view or a counter sign, card or other appro• for shielding and isolatin!; the radiatlon souzces t ~
<br />
<br /> priate deg-ice. As an alternative, each item of food can ensure that the facility employees are not exr~csze' to
<br /> Ptt.iuce Y:~Ceai~g .4ssocia~lou 11500 Cuho .Mill Road / PO Box 6036 ~ Newark, DE r 97196036 / Phaae:l3' 2)738 7100 /Fax: 1302 )731 ~;9t9
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