FDA Okays Irradiation To Kill Bacteria on Produce

Fresh produce contaminated with E. coli or salmonella may soon be a thing of the past. The FDA has just approved the use of irradiation to kill bacteria on raw spinach and lettuce.

But should you now be worried about irradiation? The FDA says no, that after produce is irradiated to kill bacteria and germs, there is no lingering radiation. Supposedly it just does its job of eliminating health risks and is gone. The FDA has determined that zapping greens with X-rays eliminates the risk of E. coli, salmonella, and listeria contamination “without compromising the safety, texture or nutrient value of raw spinach lettuce.”

From the article on CNN…

“What this does is give producers and processors one more tool in the toolbox to make these commodities safer and protect public health,” Dr. Laura Tarantino, FDA’s chief of food additive safety, said.

Not everyone is sold on the idea. Some people think this is just a band-aid and that we should instead be focusing on eliminating contamination on the produce farms where it originates. Irradiation won’t kill every type of bacteria and could lead to a false sense of security, according to some.

A leading food safety expert said irradiation indeed can kill certain bacteria safely — but it doesn’t kill viruses that also increasingly contaminate produce, and it isn’t as effective as tightening steps to prevent contamination starting at the farm.

“It won’t control all hazards on these products,” cautioned Caroline Smith DeWaal of the Center for Science in the Public Interest.

Still more worried about consuming left-over radiation than salmonella?

While irradiated foods initially caused some consumer concern, FDA’s Tarantino stressed that the food itself harbors no radiation.

“There is no residue, there’s nothing left and certainly no radioactivity left,” she said.

Something about irradiating produce makes me a little nervous, though. What do you think?