Okay. So irradiating food isn't (maybe) as bad as it sounds. The food doesn't become radioactive. It's a process, similar to pasteurization, that kills microorganisms. Sort of like a microwave. Safe, they say. But strange.
And I don't like it.
I don't like it because I make huge efforts to eat food that has undergone little or no processing. The technical term for this is "whole foods", though it might simply be called food. It is what people have been eating for, well, forever, with excellent results. I don't believe food should be developed in a laboratory. And I think that all this processing has not served us humans very well.
I also don't like it because it seems to be a really lame way to solve a problem. The problem is foodborne illness. Salmonella. E. coli. These things don't spring up mysteriously. They thrive in certain known conditions.
Accepting unsafe processing practices, then blasting unclean produce with radiation and calling it safe is a little sad. The solution seems obvious. Clean up farming practices and processing plants and inspect more frequently. Minimize food miles.
Some experts agree.
“The agency is choosing to have a high-tech expensive solution to a problem that needs a more thorough approach and one that really starts on the farm,” Ms. Smith DeWaal of the science center said.
Others are not so sure.
Federal officials say they continue to study the science behind proposals to require good agricultural practices. In the meantime, irradiation could help, Dr. Tarantino of the F.D.A. said.
While the FDA undergoes scientific study of the merit of "good agricultural practices", I'll draw my own conclusions. I'll say good agricultural practices are good! And I'll continue to buy from local farmers as much as I can.
By the way, irradiated food should be labeled with this symbol. Look for it. (And steer clear.)
2 comments:
most of us can't grow our own, however, i LOVE green city market. especially on wednesdays when it's not so crowded.
unfortunately the winter months can be difficult. and whole foods is not much of an option because they are ridiculously expensive.
True, the winter months are hard. I'm going to experiment with growing a few things indoors this winter. Not sure how that will go. But there are so many farmers markets all summer long. And when I do buy produce, I'm going to keep an eye out for that radura sticker!
Post a Comment