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 bacteria. 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. The FDA, which has pledged to make food safety a priority, has 180 days to respond to the petition. A spokeswoman said Monday that the agency had not yet received the petition and therefore could not comment.
Irradiation is used on a small portion of U.S. foods, mostly spices and some poultry products.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has not yet finalized rules that would allow irradiation of raw ground beef even though the FDA has approved it. Some groups, however, have raised questions about worker safety and said they would prefer that the industry focus 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. Copyright 1999 Reuters Limited.