There has been more chatter about the zapping of our beloved greens, starting with spinach and iceberg lettuce with romaine lettuce, tomatoes and peppers possibly next in line. Deja Vu? It seems the disconcerting prospect of irradiation is becoming a reality. Why oh why choose not to be more aggressive on eradicating sources of contamination (bad farming practices and unsafe food handling) and instead opt for such a drastic measure to “control” harmful bacteria, which will in no way guarantee pathogen-free produce? [quadruple "Gah!"] Supposedly, the irradiation process does not leave behind any radioactive residue or cause much damage to vegetation nutrients or texture (if you can believe that). So far Dole is the only food company that has been confirmed in testing the irradiation process for possible use on lettuce. Currently, there is no further information on what other companies will implement the procedure.
Rest assured, retail establishments are required to label irradiated leafies as “irradiated”, “treated by irradiation” or “treated with radiation” and marked with the international radura logo (pictured left) either directly on the item or the item’s outer packaging. However, irradiated leafies do not require labeling once they have been included in food preparations.
Thankfully, organic foods are safe from being treated with gamma rays. The National Organics Standards ban the use of irradiation on any products that are certified organic. If there was ever a time to seriously consider buying your food from local and organic markets, this would be it. Additionally, growing your own produce and sprouting are two ways to be sure you are provided with food the way nature intended.
See the Associated Press article for extra information.
