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Iowa College Still Passionate About Irradiation

By Pritzker | Ruohonen

Fifteen years have passed since Iowa State University first launched its Linear Accelerator Facility, but animal science professors at the school are still passionate about their study of irradiation of meat and other food.

The use of irradiation destroys most microorganisms and decreases the chance of potentially deadly E. coli O157:H7 infections. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has allowed the irradiation of meat to control pathogens since 1997, and since 1990 in poultry.

But as Iowa State's research indicates, cost and consumer acceptance have loomed as the biggest obstacles in moving irradiation into the mainstream of the food world. A recent story in High Plains/ Midwest Ag Journal zeroed in Iowa State's specialty, including a look at work on ground beef by Iowa State University researcher Doug Uk Ahm.

Ahn has learned that by adding an antioxidant and vitamin E to ground beef before irradiation, he can keep the meat from turning a brownish or grayish color. The additives also prevent an unfamiliar odor that occurs in ground beef when it is irradiated without additives.

Ahn considers the discovery a breakthrough for consumer acceptance, but regulation stands in the way. For one thing, meat cannot have more than one additive under FDA rule. And as it stands now, irradiation itself is considered an additive by the FDA.

"I hope the FDA will change irradiation's classification from an additive to a treatment, or approve the use of irradiation in processed meat, a petition that has been pending since 1999,'' Ahn told the journal.

Iowa State Professor Dennis Olson said foodborne illness outbreaks in 2006 that were associated with fresh produce generated greater interest in using irradiation to protect the U.S. food supply. In August 2008, the FDA approved irradiation to kill bacteria in fresh spinach and iceberg lettuce.

Olson said he wishes that the FDA would have expanded the approval to include other fresh produce, but the story notes an expansion is under consideration. And from Olson's perspective, it is significant the newest FDA rule marks the first time the federal government has allowed produce to be irradiated at levels sufficient to kill E. coli, Salmonella and Listeria .

"It's unfortunate that people have to get sick for us to get reqauirements to prevent the illnesses,'' Olson told the journal.

Full post as published by Food Poisoning Law Blog on November 16, 2008 (boomark / email).