HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0931.011 1996-1998
Testimony Re: Bill 276
Hawaii County Council - August 5, 1998 ~tip~LC
Jenny Wung, R.N. - Friends of Agriculture
My name is Jenny Wung. I am a Registered Nurse and retired administrator of
Kona Hospital. I am a member of Friends of Agriculture-Hawaii.
I speak in support of a proposed irradiator for the Big Island.
Our country has evolved to be the magnificent country it is because we are a
caring people and believe in improving the health and environmental status of our
nation. We enjoy our present day status of living because we have always sought
better ways of doing things to enhance our lives through science and technology.
Food irradiation is one of the most promising technologies for public health
today. Many countries, including our own, have proven that irradiators can be
safely constructed and operated through following proper procedures,
maintenance, monitoring, quality review and control and licensure. Worldwide,
some 37 countries have or will have facilities to irradiate food items on a
commercial scale.
As a hospital administrator, I am well aware of the stringent requirements
imposed upon the operations of any facility or program. The operations of an
irradiator are governed by extremely stringent federal and professional
organizations for the consumer and the operator.
It is the position of the American Dietetic Association that food irradiation is one
way to enhance the safety and quality of the food supply. ADA encourages the
government, food manufacturers, food commodity groups, and qualified dietetics
professionals to continue working together in educating consumers about this
technology.
Although the U.S. food supply has achieved a high level of safety,
microbiological hazards do exist. Because food may contain pathogens,
mishandling, including improper cooking, can result in foodborne illness. It is
estimated that 7,000 to 20,000 Americans are infected by E. coli yearly at a cost
ranging from $174.3 to $467.7 million. Irradiation has been identified as a
solution to reduce potential pathogens and has been recommended as part of a
comprehensive program to enhance food safety.
Food irradiation has undergone more scientific testing and research--some 40
years of wholesomeness, toxicological, and microbiological evaluation--than any
other food process before approval. NASA adopted food irradiation in the early
1970s. 93
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Food irradiation has an impressive list of national and international
endorsements: American Medical Association, American Dietetic Association,
American Council on Science and Health, Council for Agricultural Science and
Technology, International Atomic Energy Agency, Institute of Food
Technologists, United Nations Food & Agricultural Organization, and the World
Health Organization.
We must deal with logic and the facts. Education is essential to inform people
about things they may fear, to help people understand the reality of the situation,
and the consequences of noncompliance. Today, the decision facing us is to
protect ourselves from our imagined fears or to protect the lives of thousands of
real citizens whose illnesses and deaths are largely preventable.
I urge the County Council to reject the proposed changes in our code intent on
banning irradiation and to permit this issue to be brought to the voters. In
November, I trust the people of the Big Island will reject fear and make an
informed decision for public health.
Mahalo.