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<br /> ,theme for utilizing cesium-13' trom nuaeat tmr makes :Goes ucsate. changes the molecniu Kited ro Stock .rraeiated products, ace ccn,mr
<br /> --caste. Mereover. removing cesium-13,- trom the ,rr,c*ti e c (cod. oesrrovs naments. and nest crud- are,cared the procucts will glow in me der, '.v
<br /> taste offers the chance to extract plutonium as es snow that ingesting radianen-a posed toods the distomons and scare tactics desene most o
<br /> -,ell. to be tasmoned into nuclear •seapons. ;auses genetic damage, which can lead to cancer creep for scaring serf consumers. another stoo!,
<br /> A bizarre plot. to be sure. But in the late !980's. and cinh defects. 'rood & lsater a.moaigns -the boccon :Wrest - -r
<br /> hen hysteria user rood Iradiation was at as peak, Can sou do an%ming about :his' 1"e5. sou can. ',,orl,ed well against businesses
<br /> r.mg the process to nuclear power and nuclear ?eil tour supermarket manager sou oppose na%ing 5• Bo~Oft companies.
<br /> .seapons did more than anything else to make it an :adtatson-exposed foods in }'out store and youeon t Rather than boycott entire states, as ;t threat.
<br /> emotional issue. Suffice it to say that onis' one of like shopping in a store that carves them. Were ened to do in Florida. Food & 1\arer more n-ptca,.•
<br /> the 30 irradiators in the U.S. actually uses cestm-13; Food & water. Incorporated. For more intonnationr threatens to boycott companies. Such ertons a
<br /> as its radiation source. All the others. including the all us Food & Water trademark. im'oh a persistent phone
<br /> only one used for food irradiation, use cobalt-60, This radio ad was pan of Food & Water's calls and letters generated by a handful of svmpa-
<br /> which has no connection with nuclear waste. national media campaign against Floridan fruits thizersTelling food companies If sou want us rc
<br /> r-- and vegetables. "We're recommending that con- buy your products, then avoid irradiation has
<br /> Public health expert regard sumers avoid ail foods from Florida. * Michael Colby worked extremely well - a fact Food & Water s
<br /> stated in a Food & Water press release. Ilf history never shy about noon 'With our effective, ece-
<br /> foodborne illness as by far the repeats itself, Vermont's dairy farmers - not to
<br /> on-the-bill activism, we've presented hundreds of
<br /> most serious threat we face from mention the state's economy - could soon face companies from exposing food to imdiation,' the
<br /> some difficulties.) grose boasted in its recent "Dear Fellow
<br /> food. Up to 81 million such This campaign was launched because the , P
<br /> 1 ermonter" letter. "Our campaigns tuve convinced
<br /> illnesses occur each year in the nation s first commercial food irradiation t was
<br /> y ~n fruit and vegetable distributors. the poultm mdusmU.S.,causingsome9,OOOdeaths. neanngcompletion fear Tampa. andFood It Water and the smood industry to steer clear of irradiation
<br /> wanted to insure the plant would have no customers The list of companies that have capitulated :o
<br /> -for its products. The effort won Food & Water few Food & Waters boycott threats includes food Inclusion
<br /> When the FDA approved the irradiation of fans in Florida's state government giants such as Campbell Soup, H. J. Heinz, Krart
<br /> poultr y in 1990, Food & Water called the argon One of the campaign's claims - that Florida's General Foods Ralston Purina, a dozen poultry
<br /> "nothing short of a criminal act.' A Food & Water Citrus Commission and Department of Citrus had processors, and major supermarket chains including
<br /> press release quoted Bumstein as saying, "I'm "pledged' to avoid using irradation - promptedthe A&P, Pathmark. Acme and Albettwn's. In fag.
<br /> outraged by this criminal decision. It appears that Department of Citrus to demand that Food & Water Colby recently boasted that his group has defeated
<br /> the only way to protect the public is to lock up the "cease and desist the false use of our names" or face every company it has ever confronted.
<br /> leaden of the FDA." a Ifbd suit And the radio ad provoked Florida's
<br /> Actually, locking up the leaden of Food & agriculture Commissioner, Bob Crawford, to send a 6 Demand absolute safety.
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<br /> Water would be a better way to protect people. strongly worded letter of condemnation to the For Food & Water, a new technology can I.
<br /> Public health experts regard foodbome Illness as by state's newspapers, "'this ad relies on the worst be trusted, and "more studies' must always be done
<br /> far the most serious threat we face from food. Up to kind of scare tactic," Crawford wrote. 'It encour. to fm'e that it's safe. Then, so matter bow exbaus.
<br /> 81 million such Writhes omar each year in the U.S., ages the public to be afraid of sometbing they tine or knithl A study, the group belittles it.
<br /> causing some 9,000 deaths. Using Irradiation widely dom't know much about." Food & Water will Insist, as it has with rBGH and
<br /> on poultry alone could prevent hundreds of thou- The radio ad, which Food & Water had food irradiation, that the long-term effects on
<br /> sands of illnesses and hundreds of deaths each year, promised to "play nationwide." never aired outside humans remain unknown. Of course, that's true for
<br /> according to Federal officials. And meat irradiation. Florida. But in inflammatory content did inspire an any new product. including antibiotics, pain relies-
<br /> which should soon receive approval, can eliminate article in The Wall Street journal for which ers and even laundry detergents. But in Food &
<br /> the deadly strain of E soli that in 1993 killed three Bumstein was interviewed. 'We do this stuff Water's narrow world view, only the poisonous
<br /> clildren who ate undetcooked hamburgers at because we're desper he was quoted as saving. fruits of new technologies must mat its tmpossibh
<br /> fast-food restaurants and sickens up to 20.000 'We have to use every means we have to stop this high standards.
<br /> Americans each year. tedmology.' AB too of erk Food & Water's favorite 'means" for 3. Fear is the best weapon. 'tan s" da~g something is to make unsub. Ironically, food irradiation and
<br /> Food & water's was agafnu food irradiation has rBGIf do have something in
<br /> played on two common concerns: anxiety over 4. Maize thirsts up. g
<br /> food safety and - especially after Chernobyl and Dining its nearly 10 years in business, Food Is common: a dearth of evidence
<br /> Three Mik island - deep distrust of anything Watr bas aosinbliayy gad recklesay, made
<br /> involving ndiatlon. As Food & Water readies its timeless charge[a. For example, to bolster its favonte that either of them actually
<br /> nationwide campaign against Cabot products. ICs conspiracy theory, Food It Water has long claimed does cause cancer.
<br /> worth looking back at an anti-(mdiatlon campaign that 'Government plans call for the construction of
<br /> it waged in 1991. The campaign's 'national radio up to 1,000 food Irradiation facilities across the ,yr. the centerpiece of in safety concerns. Food
<br /> advertisement,' broadcast on 57 radio stations, comity." But when 1 asked Colby to document that & Water will trot out allegations of harm and
<br /> may be a preview of what Cabot can expect: claim. he could provide no evidence to support it. demand that those favoring a process or drug prove
<br /> "What If you found out that those fresh hunts To chronicle all of Food it Water's reckless its change; wrong. While the group has alleged a
<br /> and vegetables everyme keeps telling you to ea charges would requite a separate article, but the litany of as resse health effects over the years. Its
<br /> more of might (pane) kW you? radio ad above prwWes a good sample Every scary alltime fao0slee is cancer.
<br /> 'No joke Bemuse supermarkets have started cWm the ad makn about food madiation - that It
<br /> selling rid indan•aPosed foods: spices, processed might came genetic dsroage, cancer, birth defects, 7. Cry 00i
<br /> foods and soots mew and bulb and vegetables. etc. - is false. 'What we like to suers at Food & Water I.
<br /> 'The supermuldeb claim this irradiation pre- Tlanis Wgely to Food & Water's efforts, food health Implications of some of these technologies.
<br /> serves foods, but many scientists are saying Unitas- companies are sand to use Irradiation, :torn we to stress the cancer Me,' said Michael Colby in a
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