HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0212.314 1996-1998
MAY- 6-97 TUE ; 4:59 T~F' PI1A FAX M0. 3027312409 P. O1
TM DAD
a
a a`te`'',
e'er- Q 7 1 n //1; -
' V 4 ~~~'l ~ ~~Y~ ~'J liV Ja Lbi. fa.'_A".. :J. 'F.,
_ FOUrd~r ~r ~ s
CCU'
0 'V7Y ~ •i 1AWA11
Facsimile `~ansmission Cover Sheet
To: ` xL~v~.~ ~~~(I ~ c~ ~-C Date: t%' _ (o _ ~ _
FAX No.:
~ ,
Charge CodE: ~ # of pages is eluding cover:
if you have any questions or problems with this tran:~ mission,
please call PMA at 302l738~7100 (8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. E astern time).
Our fax number is 302/731-2409. We are on 24-hour answer.
PMA's address is: P.O. Box 6036 /Newark, DE 19714-6036
ER
i ~o~malion
Pf~IA Convention & Exposition
Anaheim, California >"a Z~:---
s~
October 17-21,1997 pro dnr~u N
~f, i11AY 0 71097
MAY- 6-97 TUE 1500 f~i" PMA FAX N0. 302731409 P, Oi?
c ~ ~ Prods ce T1ett'kct ~n~ ti .ti i ;
R . t ~a i1d~cm~ ,g (hr Prudu:-, au,! I i.:., .
f7ryl~'. I rr.r ~ Ins
l~i"'s'~t' Pho+c 1lp _ "10,~
~ ~.:.T:, : c.;l
c ~ ~ May 6, 1997 '
s,l . c~ James Arakaki
F.. a:, • ~ Chairman, Hawaii County Council
ch~~ l.:•:., +,I:,~ ~ I,-~::~,. 25 Aupuni St.
~ c`~+' :=~'~i Wilo, HI 96720
s.~ ~
a...,::,.::. s„I::.,,:I~ ~ Dear Mr. Chairman,
v P, m, f .lr In,.
:L n.,:.l We are writing to you to encourage county council's favorable
x<<~, r.. i.~::: consideration of Bill 62.
K:::y, r,.,:::.1 i n ;
~Y:~: e. s;c:::,~ 1:,,`ct` The Produce Marketing Association, founded in 19 t9, is a nonprofit trede
~ ' Ih association serving 2,500 members who market fre ;h fruits, vegetables,
~,:._-ti: and floral products worldwide. Its members are inv~~lved in the
' production, distribution, retail, and foodservice sec. ors of the industry.
s:, r' , ~ ~ The association's mission is to create a favorable, i aspc+nsible
` ~ environment that advances the marketing of produce and floral produc~s
' " " and services for North American bu ers and sellers and their interraticnai
Y
partners
~::a~5
r.+~:f, r: r,,_, ~,_k We are aware of the importance of this measure to support apost-her. es?
n. ~ ~ _ ~ treatment that will allow your state's growers to exp ~rt tc mainland
~ markets.
~,~:I~r , . r~;
` ~ ~ PMA believes that sound science must be the basis for decisions aba!?
all food issues. Based on extensive scientific rese~ Bch and review by the
c'"~''' U. S. Government and international food and science ex erts irradiations
I:YC1: rail:: ~ ~ .,LJ F~ I
Fa + r has been deemed to be a safe and viable technoloi' y.
~I~
J....::a PMA supports the government's decision allowing t'.e irradiation of fr2:>h
::I,'> ~ ~ ' - • fruits and vegetables. We also believe in providing consumers with
ci.,:, Choice in the marketplace, including the choice of it 2dia ed and
T'" ~ ` ' ' nonirradiated produce.
~S~ncerely,
1,d ~ Sr: :ar:, A
`T" ^ _
~~1~-
r,;,~ s,~::..~•.. Bryan S_ilbbermann, CAE
President
b(c:.hr. ti--_ a
o-n b5 c:,
~,.°~I:~I~.: r ~YourCompetit+ve Edge
MAY- 6-97 TUE 7 5 ~ O1 frF<' PMA FAX N0. 3027312409 P. 03
~,.,,,.o~o.,
Produce Marketing Association
Position Paper on irradiation
Irradi :lion is defined as exposure to radiant energy or AIStOry
radiaton, Irradiation preserves food by using a law dose
of hig'a-energy gamma rays to kill microorganisms and Irradiation was first pater'.ed for food ,rzserva!ie.a in
insects that might conLuninate a product and to extend f
a product's shelf life by slowing the maturation process. the United Sites in 1921 Since then, health anti srht'y
Irrads~tion is not added to food but rather passes authorities in 37 countries have approved the irr~dia•
thr0u,ft it like a ray of light or microwaves such as are hop of approximately 50 Rrods, including spices, ;ra+ns
used in cocking. Thzre'ore, it does not,vuse the food fruits, vzgetables, and chi .ken. '1\uznty-€our couutriu
to become radioacdive a:ad doesn~t increase human ai'e engaged in commerci J•sca~e irradiation of sprzcific
expus:re to radiation. food items.
lrradiaTden is used on fruitr and vegetables to eliminate Irradiation has been caret dly rrsearched by into, ,a-
infesLJon, to inhibit growth and maturation, and to Goral e:cpertr. An expert . ommittee of the Food and
pre<~ent spoilage. (Irradiation cannot make bad foods Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the Unite) Nz~ions;
good by reversing spoilage or maturation, but it car', the lntemational Atomic +:nergy Agency (]AF.A); and
stop or slow it down. If a food is rotten before irradia- the World Nealth Organi: rtion (W}i0) conc!udati in
lion, it will be rotten afterwards, and, therefore, will not 1980 that "the irradiador. of any food commodity up to
meet government standards or consumer scrutiny) an overall dose of lOkGy t 1,000 kiiorads) przsz:aL no
Irradi,ry0n aao tills mi~~robiological contamirants such toxicological hazard." Tha report also concluded that
as Sal-aonella and can serve as an alternative to chemi• this process does not eau:,: special nutritional or
cal fumigants. microbiological problems in food.
The z,~ipmznt used for irradiation is a machine In the tinned States, irrat'~ation has been approvrd for
contsning,nencils of cobalt 60 store) in water in a use on foods since 1963 f,r the control of inset+~ in
cencr~;te room, The water acts as a shield to the gamma wheat and wheat flour an~i since 1964 (or the preven•
rays. then ttre irradiation chamber is being used, the lion of sprouting in potat:es. In February 1'.384, FD.1
cobalt b0 pencils are out of the water, thereby irradiat- issued a proposal to pem•:!t the use of inadia,tion to
ing produrt that passes through the chamber. (During inhibit the growth and rr .turaCion of fresh frui3 and
Ghis time, the chamber is locked so that people are not fresh vegetables, to disinf st food of insects and to
expos::d to the gamma rays) The product to be irradi- disinfest spices of micron ganisms. FDA reported t7iat
ated is brought into the chamber cn a pallet on a foods irradiated at doses cp to 1kGy are wheieso,nz an.',
CQRVeyOC be1L A.4er the product has been irradiated, it safe for human consume' ion, even in cases wherz ttaz
is pis::ed into another roam and the next producrt is irradiated food represenL~ a laz(;e portion of the dzt. In
transported into the chamber. Wren the chamber is not tum, Iew-dose irradiation was approved for [ruia~ and
being used, the cob~t pencils are again Immersed in vegetabies to control mat ;ration. (It is irnporG~n!. to
water, and people can re•entzr the room. Food irradia- note that the 1kGy that tJ e FDA allows is si~nific>ant!y
Gon fzcili@zs are similar to those in which ionizing less than the level of lOk''y deemed sa`e by inter:,a-
energy has been used to sterilize medical products in tional experts.)
the U.S. fer many years. The state o(blaine banne :the sale of irradiatzd who'e
foods zxczpt spices. Ve York and Ne+v Jersey had
PNi A
_-'-Pre',ceeYarke(ingNsotialion/15000uEoSiiJJRO~d/PO Boa 6036/Rewaric.DE197145036/Pq ~e:(3421739.7100/F;:,e:1342ia31_'4C9
MAY- 6-97 TUE 15 ~ O 1 Lf' PMA FA}{ N0, 3027312409 p, Oq
issues! moratoria on the sale of irradiated (nods, though be individually labeled Ir either arse, their,`er,7 ~r_cn
the moratona hay:e since expired AcconJing to a U.S. must be prominently and coruyicuously disfla; z i
Genera! Accountlng Otfce report prepared in May 1990 (Only fends that have bee. ~ itracliated need to bz Iae'e?
at the request of Rep. Douglas Bosco (D-CA), "offidals Foods that contain irradia ed irgredier,ts do not ,end t
of thesz states told us U` at their states took the actions be fabelad.) Processors or Gackagers can cho~;se tr~ z^d
in res;~onse to public concern by dozen groups rather other labeling, such as "I. adiated for disinfes;~~d;n" or
than as a result of scientific evidence questioning the "irradiatced to preserve fro hness."
safety of food irradiation."
[n b':ay 1992, the World Health Organization again Satety and Nutritional Qualify
convened a pane! of expzrts in Ger,ev~a to evaluate the
safety of food irradiatior:. Once again, the WHO The irradiaton process p. >duees very Iit~Je she,,-a <J
concluded that irradiation is a "perfectly sound" means change in food, and those few changes have not b::esr
of preszrving food supplies. "Sceentific research shows found to be dangerous or itatmful. In fact, evf;e;t•
this is a perfectly sound food-preservation technology reveal teat the changes ar: so minor that they are
badly needed in a world where food-home diseases are difficult to detect and are similar chemically to th ue
on tine increase and where between nee-quarter and changes that occurwhen nod is cooked or ale<.>d to
one-third of the global food supply is lost post-harvest-" sunlighr_
sad Dr. Friiz Kaeferstein, head of WIiO's food sa,°ety
unit. Irrzdia6on at doses that f. sh produce can tclera(a does
not alter its caloric value .;r nutritional quality sitniri-
In ad~iUon to FDA, WHO, FAO, and IAE.a, the accep- BUY To put it in perspe live, because the a'Icr~•~:blo
Lance of irradiation as a safe process has Come from irradiation levels are so Ic r, irradiated fruits ?ed
such organizations ss th:e Council for Agricultural vegetables have less nutritional loss than fru~s er
Science and Technology, the Institute of Food Tech- vegetables that are heat p. xess•id. Of the minin~z'.
nologsts, the American ,vledical Association, and nutrit'onal loss that may : ~CCUr in fruits and vez'ab's,
others. No expert government body has z`'er slated Chat it is the micronutrients - ,vitamins, in particular - fr~at
irradiated foods are unsrle. are affected. Extensive re< arch has shown that rr xro-
nutrienis, such as protein; carbohydratzs, and let, are
Currently, irradiated produce is sold in Limited quanti• relatively stable to radiatlc 1 doses of up to 1CkGy N;^.'cf
ties. First, not all produce can be irradiated because the is far more than produce vill tolerate, FAO, WliO, and
composition of some fruits and vevetables is not IAE.4 sf<ited in their sand lions in 1980 that in a!i:
cond.;uve to it. Secondly, because there is only one lion does not Cause spelt' nutritional problems i 1
facility in the (i.S. irradiating produce, cost, availability, food.
and distribution are limiting factors.
Thee are no materials pr-sent in irradia°ion egc:i,;mn`.
taee~in drat could generate an ex; losion and no radaaacii,iry is
9 ~
~
~ released into the environr enL It i5 also impassi:`az for
a "meltdown" to occur in a garr.ma irradiator. Tt e
source of radiatlon energy used at irradiztors can .ct
Consumers Can easily recognize irradiated products produce neutrons -subs races which a,n rr:~ke
because FDA rzquires tl;e international logo for irradia- maierias radioactive sc a nuclear chain re:,di0n
lion the radura to be included on the packages of cannot occur at an irradir'or. Fill irradiation facii ties
all focd that hu been irradiated, The words "treated are licensed and inspector by the Atomic Ernrgy
with radiation" or "trea'.ed by irradiation" must also Regulatory Authority in t e sta~.ewhere the facility is
apGear on the principal label. For irradiated [nods not in located and by the Nude<• Regulatory Cummissirn.
package form, the rec;uired logo and phrase must be
displa}ed on either the labeling of the bulk container Within the facility, strid:• ifety precautions are tz';zr.
plainly in view or a counter sign, card or other appro• for shielding and isolatin!; the radiatlon souzces t ~
priate deg-ice. As an alternative, each item of food can ensure that the facility employees are not exr~csze' to
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
MAY- 6-97 TUE 1502 i~ PMA FAX N0. 3027312409 P, 05
radial on. Transportation and disposal of food radioiso- research laboratories all c . er the couniry and in
tope sources are conducted in the same manner as for accordance with govemn :nt regulations.
tfie nc.nieruus radioisotopes used by hos;~itals and
PMA Position
The Produce !1arketing Association believes that sound science must be the b sis for decisions
zbout all food issues. @ased on extensive scientific research and review by the U.S. government
and intemau~nal food and science experts, irradiation has bten deemed to be a safe and viebie
technology. PNIA supports the government's decision allowing the irradiaior. of frtsh fruits and
vegetables. PMA also believes in providing consumers with choice in the mar' etplace, in~u,i~ng
the choice of irradiated and nanirradiated produce.
1'he Produce Marketing Associar~on is a nonprofit trade association serving m re than 2,700
members who market fresh fruits, vegetables, and floral products worldwide. -ts mE:mbers range
from produce growers to supermarket retailers, foodservice operators, and im orters.
P odocc Ya~e;ing PsucinGoe / t500 Ca ho .Kill Road / PO Boa 6036 / Yewark. DE 19714b036 / Phoaa: ,30217:19.7100 / Fic 130211; 1.23C:'