Pete_C's Blog

How many more millions of pounds of food must be recalled and destroyed before we decide to apply tried and proven technology to ensure the safety of the nations food supply?

Gamma irradiation of food in early processing stages would destroy any and all harmful bacteria, fungi, and viruses. It does not leave the food radioactive or otherwise dangerous to consume; but because of a small number of loud mouthed pea brains who say  "what if there is some undiscovered side effect of irradiating food" it has not caught on like it should.

Personally I would rather take that remote risk than face the known danger of eating spinach or ground meat contaminated with e.coli  bacteria.  Sure, leave the "organic" label stuff non irradiated for those who prefer to take the known risk of eating contaminated food;  but the majority of the food should be disinfected prior to distribution and before it can spoil. Not only does gamma sterilization of food prevent it from spreading disease, but it prolongs its fresh shelf life since the bacteria which cause spoilage also are destroyed .

 By decreasing the amount of spoilage losses, and eliminating the cost of recalling and destroying contaminated food ; the cost of gamma sterilization would soon be offset and consumers would face a lower cost  and safer product in the marketplace.

 Listening to these technophobes is not a good idea; they rarely see the consequences of their insistence upon living in the last century. By stopping the construction of Nuclear Power plants in the early 1970s, they left the world with global warming as a consequence of having to rely on Coal Oil and Gas as power sources.  Spurred by their success they moved to oppose new hydro electric plants and even forced some existing ones to be dismantled. Now they fight against wind farms arguing that they endanger birds and are unsightly.  Where will it end?