The CAHI is optimistic that the Codex international standards of food safety will prevail, and results of existing scientific studies will continue to show that there are no health risks to consumers because of the use of beef hormones to enhance production. For all parties concerned, the 15-month period, ending in April of 1999, cannot come too soon. Plans to build a plant on Hawaii's Big Island to irradiate the area's bountiful tropical fruit crop have, according to this story, caused heated debate among island residents. The story says that the plant, approved by voter referendum in this month's elections, would, according to supporters, give the area an economic boost by allowing treatment of more of the island's fruit. Supporters of the plan contend the greater irradiation capability would counter that barrier.
Opponents say the plant is too much of a risk.
They say unease about irradiated fruit has not been assuaged with consumers, and they don't want Hawaii's agriculture to be stigmatized. This was like Waterloo and Gettysburg. If the anti-irradiation forces would have prevailed in Hawaii, they could have used that as a symbol in efforts to stop food irradiation in other states. The story notes that the U.S. Agriculture Department soon will release proposed rules regarding use of irradiation in processing meat and what labels should say. Currently only about a half-dozen plants in the United States do irradiation.