SeabeeCook is no longer maintaining the military food service or Seabee pages. Natick researchers are constantly looking at ways to increase the variety of combat rations, make them more healthful and improve their taste. That's reason enough why Vicki Loveridge has no beef with the Feb. 22 decision by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to extend its approved list of irradiated foods to include raw red meats. During irradiation, foods are placed in a machine that exposes them to electron beams or cobalt gamma rays. The process kills bacteria by briefly altering the electric charge of the molecules in the food and microorganisms.
Foods processed by irradiation are safer to eat and have a longer shelf life.
They also are more nutritious and better tasting than foods processed with other methods used to rid them of insects or bacteria, she said. Irradiation is particularly effective in killing bacteria like salmonella or E. coli that cause food-borne illness. Just think of the impact on public health and well being, not to mention short and long-term healthcare and worker productivity. She is not alone in her opinion. In fact, the American Medical Association, World Health Organization, Mayo Clinic, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and U.S. Public Health Service all agree with her.