U.S. Food Industry Begins to Embrace Irradiation
Wed Feb 5,12:36 PM ET
By Jerry Bieszk
CHICAGO (Reuters) - Stung by record recalls of tainted meat last year,
the U.S. food industry is stepping up the use of new technology to irradiate
meat as an extra protection against deadly bacteria such as E. coli and
listeria.
Just a small part of the 9 billion pounds of
ground beef sold in the United States last year
was irradiated, but the amount is growing
rapidly, despite concerns voiced by some
consumer groups about the unknown long-term
effects on health.
"I would estimate the total volume currently
being irradiated under 5 percent (of beef
production), but we are anticipating an
exponential growth curve," said Janet Riley,
spokeswoman for the American Meat Institute
(AMI).
Irradiation exposes products to ionizing radiation that kills insects, molds
and bacteria. The U.S. government approved irradiation treatment of ground
beef in January 2000, and the first batch was processed in May of that year.
BIG INCREASES
Irradiation began to ramp up late last year after the largest meat recall in
U.S. history. In October, Pilgrim's Pride Corp. recalled 27.4 million pounds
of poultry products because of an outbreak of listeria, a potentially deadly
bacteria. The outbreak that prompted the recall was blamed for killing eight
people and making more than 40 sick.
The U.S. Agriculture Department said this week that 60 percent of the
largest U.S. meat plants failed to meet federal food safety regulations for
preventing the E. coli bacteria (news - web sites) in their products. The
bacteria causes an estimated 73,000 infections and 61 deaths in the United
States each year, according to government data.
Food companies see irradiation as another barrier of protection against
bacteria that can cause food-borne illness, especially to protect children,
the elderly and those with weakened immune systems.
SureBeam Corp., the largest provider of the technology, said it expects to
process between 300 million and 350 million pounds of beef this year, up
from about 15 million in 2002.
"Irradiation eliminates 99.9 percent of the pathogens such as E. coli,
salmonella and listeria without changing the taste, texture, appearance or
nutritional value of the meat," said John Fox, associate professor of
agricultural economics at Kansas State University. "In spite of its name, the
process cannot make food radioactive."
The Food and Drug Administration (news - web sites) permits three types of
ionizing radiation on foods: gamma rays, high-energy electrons and X-rays.
Irradiation is widely used to sterilize many non-food products, including
toothbrushes, home-use adhesive bandage strips and surgical tools,
although at doses much higher than used for food. Irradiation has been used
to kill insects in wheat flour since 1963 and used on common kitchen
spices since 1983.
Still, critics say irradiation may deplete vitamins and nutrients, and that
irradiated food contains chemical byproducts that may be harmful. They say
irradiation is an effort by meat packers and processors to cover up sloppy
food-handling processes.
Washington-based consumer group Public Citizen, for example, is calling
for studies on the long-term effects of treated meat on children. In the
meantime, they oppose the use of irradiation for beef supplied by the
Agriculture Department for school meals.
"A decision to feed schoolchildren irradiated food would mean this agency
(USDA) is willing to put our children's health at risk to help cover up the
meat industry's sanitary failures," said Wenonah Hauter, director of Public
Citizen's Critcal Mass Energy and Environment Program.
Also, if irradiated food is permitted in school lunches, it will not be labeled in
the way that irradiated retail food must be, making it impossible for parents
to know what school cafeterias are feeding their children, critics point out.
The FDA requires irradiated meat be labeled with a symbol resembling a
stylized flower and the words "treated by irradiation."
IMMEDIATE BENEFITS
Meat industry experts said irradiation is no "silver bullet" and proper food
handling at home remains critical. Meat can be contaminated by residue
from other foods or by utensils used to prepare other meals. Cooking of
ground beef to an internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit (72
degrees Celsius) can kill E. coli and listeria, the Beef Council said.
Still, the proven benefits are clearly winning over many consumers and
health care officials, and use of the technology is taking off.
A nationwide survey conducted by the National Cattlemen's Beef
Association (news - web sites) found that 48 percent of Americans would
purchase irradiated meat. That response in November 2002 was up from 38
percent in February. Industry officials said that small doses of irradiation
should not affect the taste of the meat.
The World Health Organization (news - web sites) has endorsed irradiation,
saying it is one of the most effective food decontamination methods
available for meat and poultry products.
"On the average, one major retail (food) chain has rolled out irradiated
ground beef every week basically since last August," said Ron Eustice,
executive director of the Minnesota Beef Council. He said about 4,000
supermarkets carry either fresh irradiated ground beef or frozen products.
Supermarket companies Safeway Inc., Albertson's Inc. and Giant Eagle Inc.
have all signed on to sell irradiated meat at some of their stores.
MEAT PROCESSORS TAKE ACTION
The number of packers and processors irradiating beef is growing rapidly.
They are beginning to contract for irradiation capability in their plants instead
of at remote locations.
Excel, a division of Minnesota-based Cargill Inc., plans to install electron
beam irradiation facilities at its packing plants in Schuyler, Nebraska, and
Plano, Texas. Rochester, Minnesota-based TeMeats, and Minnesota-based
W.W. Johnson Co. have announced plans to market irradiated product.
The former ConAgra Foods Inc. slaughterhouse in Greeley, Colorado, now
operating as Swift and Co., has committed more than $4 million to increase
food safety and plans later this year to have some of its meat irradiated. In
July, the plant was the focal point of the third-largest beef recall in history
when the company recalled almost 19 million pounds of beef because of E.
coli concerns.
"Irradiated ground beef will become the gold standard at food service in the
next two to three years," said the Minnesota Beef Council's Eustice. "Food
irradiation will take its rightful place as the fourth pillar of public health
alongside pasteurization of milk, immunization against disease and
chlorination of our water supply -- and that will take place in the next
decade." |
