This just in...
Virus spray is approved for making cold cuts safer to eat
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
08/19/2006
WASHINGTON
A mix of bacteria-killing viruses can be safely sprayed on cold cuts,
hot dogs and sausages to combat common microbes that kill hundreds of
people a year, federal health officials said Friday in granting the
first-ever approval of viruses as a food additive.
The combination of six viruses is designed to be sprayed on ready-to-eat
meat and poultry products, including sliced ham and turkey, said John
Vazzana, president and chief executive officer of manufacturer
Intralytix Inc.
The special viruses called bacteriophages are meant to kill strains of
the Listeria monocytogenes bacterium, the Food and Drug Administration
said in declaring it safe to use on ready-to-eat meats before their
packaging.
The viruses are the first to win FDA approval for use as a food
additive, said Andrew Zajac of the regulatory agency's office of food
additive safety.
The bacterium the viruses target can cause a serious infection called
listeriosis, primarily in pregnant women, newborns and adults with
weakened immune systems. In the United States, an estimated 2,500 people
become seriously ill with listeriosis each year, according to the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Of those, 500 die.
The preparation of bacteriophages - the name is Greek for
"bacteria-eater" - attacks only strains of the Listeria bacterium and
not human or plant cells, the FDA said.
"As long as it used in accordance with the regulations, we have
concluded it's safe," Zajac said.
Consumers won't be aware that meat and poultry products have been
treated with the spray, Zajac added. The Department of Agriculture will
regulate the actual use of the product.
--
The Silver List is a moderated forum for discussing Colloidal Silver.
Instructions for unsubscribing are posted at: http://silverlist.org
To post, address your message to: silver-list@eskimo.com
Address Off-Topic messages to: silver-off-topic-l...@eskimo.com
The Silver List and Off Topic List archives are currently down...
List maintainer: Mike Devour <mdev...@eskimo.com>
