Traditional pasteurization, or heating to destroy harmful bacteria, has been recognized as a food safety advantage for decades, and is considered one of the major advances in public health. When milk pasteurization was discussed in the early 1900's, the concern was tuberculosis as well as other illnesses then could be transferred by raw milk. More recently, pasteurization is being applied to apple cider. On the other hand, heat treatment of cider is critical because the benefits of additional protection from E. coli can be life saving. One day, consumers across the country may be able to select safety-enhanced irradiated meat and poultry that have been pasteurized through irradiation.
Some consumers are concerned about preservatives and additives used in processed food.
Additives have been used since antiquity either to improve food preparation or to preserve food. Salt was used to cure meat in 3,000 B.C., and bread leavened by yeast or chemicals has been popular for millennia. The U.S. Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act defines a food additive as any substance that becomes a component of food or affects the characteristics of a food. By legal definition, sugar and spices, as well as leavening agents, are food additives. More than 75 percent of food additives are used to impart flavor.