ZAPPED !

Would you let a doctor zap one billion X-rays all at once through your body if you were injured ? Would you let your food be treated with that same amount of radiation ?

Whether poultry, meat, fruit or vegetable, food around the world is being exposed to high doses of radiation under the veil of protecting consumers from foodborne illness. However, Zapped ! Irradiation and the Death of Food explores why this process, known as food irradiation, poses numerous health risks to consumers and ignores the fundamental problems plaguing food production systems.

Our industrialized agricultural system is designed to maximize production and profit, often at the cost of regulation and sanitation. As a result, food contamination and food recalls are making headlines, and consumers have been questioning the vulnerability of our food supply. The U.S. government and food industry are rushing toward finding a panacea for preventing another public health crisis, and is promoting irradiation as a good preventative solution. But as Zapped ! reveals, food irradiation is a shortsighted solution that does little or nothing to solve our food safety troubles.

Irradiation has three main purposes : to eradicate pests such as fruit flies, to kill disease-causing microorganisms such as E. coli and Salmonella, and to extend the shelf life of food. Yet studies indicate irradiation is ineffective and even impractical in these functions. Irradiation does not kill all the bacteria on a food item, and does not prevent meat from getting reinfected when it comes into contact with contaminated foods or cooking surfaces. Food irradiation also breaks down the cellular structure of vegetables, depletes vitamins, and ruins flavor and color. In addition, little research has been done on the potential health effects of eating irradiated vegetables.

At the same time, irradiation can lead to negative economic consequences, especially for domestic farmers. By extending the shelf life of food, irradiation gives more incentives to producers to grow their products in distant countries where labor is cheaper and food safety regulations less rigorous.

With all of these known problems, the public is becoming increasingly skeptical and wary of irradiation. Yet the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is considering a new rule that would weaken labeling of irradiated food and prevent consumers from knowing that their food has been exposed to large amounts of radiation. Other countries, including all in the European Union, are acknowledging the uncertainties, and are limiting expanding the industry until further scientific research proves irradiation is safe.

By publishing this book, Wenonah Hauter and Mark Worth hope to educate the public and policy-makers about irradiation and alternatives to keeping food safe for all consumers. Rather than treating food with a questionable technology at the end of the line, companies and governments should be making sure that food is clean at the beginning and through the entire process. Our health, not corporate profits, should be the priority.

Food and Water Watch Europe website