-Caveat Lector-
All natural enzimes and break down bacteria will be killed as well. From what I
know - Break down bacteria kills e. coli. This break down bacteria is also what
has allowed us to age our beef. There is a lot of good bacteria out there too.
Laura
aka The Pied Piper
Lyn McCloskey wrote:
> -Caveat Lector-
>
> Friday February 12 3:56 PM ET
>
> Raw Meat Irradiation Rules Unveiled By USDA
>
> By Bob Burgdorfer
>
> CHARLOTTE, N.C. (Reuters) - The Clinton administration unveiled rules
> Friday for treating raw meat with irradiation to kill dangerous foodborne
> diseases, calling it an important new tool to protect consumers.
>
> The announcement came amid a string of recent recalls by U.S. companies of
> hot dogs, lunchmeat, milk and other foods tainted with a deadly strain of
> listeria. The eruption of recalls in the past few weeks has forced the U.S.
> Agriculture Department and the Food and Drug Administration to intensify
> food safety efforts.
>
> ``When it comes to food safety, there is no silver bullet,'' Agriculture
> Secretary Dan Glickman said. ``But used in conjunction with other
> science-based prevention efforts, irradiation can provide consumers an
> added measure of protection.''
>
> Glickman unveiled the proposed irradiation rules during a speech to the
> National Cattlemen's Beef Association. The rules will not be finalized
> until later this year, and would not require any U.S. company to adopt the
> technology.
>
> Irradiation treats food with brief doses of gamma rays or electron beams.
> The procedure would add up to five cents per pound to the cost of ground
> beef, according to USDA estimates.
>
> The technology could have destroyed a dangerous strain of listeria that
> recently contaminated hot dogs and lunch meat made by a Sara Lee Corp.
> (NYSE:SLE - news) plant in Michigan, according to experts. The outbreak was
> blamed for 16 deaths.
>
> But the USDA's new guidelines apply only to raw meat, and do not allow
> irradiation of packaged and processed products like hot dogs. ``We believe
> the ability to irradiate ready-to-eat foods after they are packaged is a
> critically important step,'' said American Meat Institute president Patrick
> Boyle.
>
> Consumer groups, which have clamored for better food safety technology,
> have been lukewarm about irradiation.
>
> While irradiation effectively kills sickness-causing bacteria such as E.
> coli 0157:H7, listeria, campylobacter and salmonella, it can leave products
> with a slightly ``off taste,'' according to some groups. Another issue is
> ensuring worker safety around radiation equipment.
>
> The labeling of irradiated meats is also likely to trigger wrangling
> between industry and consumer groups.
>
> ``If in fact the technology is safe and doesn't change the product, we as a
> scientific organization don't see the rationale for it to be on the
> label,'' said Dane Bernard, a vice president of the National Food
> Processors Association.
>
> The USDA's proposed rules would require the international radiation symbol
> on labels plus a statement indicating the product was treated with
> irradiation.
>
> Consumer groups want the information prominently displayed in large
> typeface so shoppers know what they are buying.
>
> ``There are a group of consumers who will never buy irradiated foods
> because they want fresh, natural and minimally-processed foods. There is
> another group of consumers like nursing homes and day-care centers who
> would seek out irradiated foods,'' said Caroline Smith de Waal, food safety
> expert with the Center for Science in the Public Interest.
>
> ``Then there is the vast body of consumers who don't fit into either
> category and we don't know how they will react,'' she added.
>
> The Food and Drug Administration, which has jurisdiction over all foods
> except meat and poultry, is expected to launch its own review next week of
> how to label irradiated products, industry sources said. The FDA has also
> promised to speed up its review of new food additives to destroy food
> bacteria.
>
> Labeling is a key issue because of the meat industry's hesitation to invest
> in irradiation equipment unless it believes consumers will be eager to buy
> the product. Test marketing of irradiated products will be launched soon
> after USDA finalizes its new rules.
>
> The USDA rules were a long time coming. After seven years of study, the FDA
> declared irradiation to be safe in December 1997. The USDA then took
> another 14 months to put together proposed rules for how to use the
> technology.
>
> Irradiation was developed a generation ago by Pillsbury Co.to prepare safe
> food for U.S. astronauts. The technology has been used on spices, cereals
> and other foods for years.
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