Twenty-eight groups petitioned the Food and Drug Administration to allow irradiation, which has already been approved for raw ground beef, for foods such as hot dogs and luncheon meats, fresh fruits and vegetables and juices. The Food Irradiation Coalition, which includes the National Food Processors Association and the American Meat Institute, said irradiation would give food processors another important tool to help make foods safer. We support its use in further enhancing the safety of our food supply.
Irradiation exposes foods to tiny amounts of electron beams or gamma rays that kill deadly bugs.
Sara Lee Corp. Health and consumer groups have reluctantly supported irradiation as a way to protect children, the elderly and others with weak immune systems. Some groups, however, have raised questions about worker safety and said they would prefer if the industry focused on improving processing conditions to further reduce contamination. Now, processors use a wide variety of procedures such as refrigeration and pasteurization to prevent contamination and keep foods fresh. The FDA, which has pledged to make food safety a priority, has 180 days to respond to the petition. A spokeswoman said Monday the agency had not yet received the petition and therefore could not comment.