However, this process is not a substitute for good sanitation and safe food handling from the farm to the table. Here is some information about this process that can make meat and poultry safer. Irradiation is only one of many processes that can be used to prevent foodborne illness. It is not a substitute for good manufacturing practices. Establishments that use irradiation must meet the same sanitation and processing standards required by all meat and poultry plants.
Food is irradiated to make it safer.
It can reduce the risk of foodborne illness by destroying harmful bacteria, parasites, insects, and fungi. Hospitals have used irradiation for many years to sterilize food for cancer patients and others with weakened immune systems. Some perishable food taken into space by astronauts is irradiated because the food must be guaranteed free of disease-causing organisms. It also reduces spoilage. Like freezing, canning, and drying, irradiation can also extend the shelf life of perishable food products.