b y Felicia Hodges Most people shudder when word of another E.coli or Salmonella contamination hits the news. Especially since many of the outbreaks involve foods we eat regularly, diseases caused by what we ingest can be very frightening. Irradiation – a process of bombarding food with high-energy beams to kill bacteria and other pathogens – is being touted as a way to rid our food of germs that can make us sick. In February of 2002, the US Food and Drug Administration passed final approval for irradiating red meat, as well as pork, poultry, eggs, vegetables, spices and some fruit. The FDA has since approved the irradiation of shellfish, crustaceans, lettuce and spinach, seeds for sprouting (like for alfalfa) and spices and seasonings. According to Sherri Majid of MSD Nordion – a manufacturer of irradiation facilities – irradiation kills E. coli, salmonella and campylobacter, bacteria which are responsible for three major causes of food-borne illnesses. It can extend th...
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