FDA Petitioned to Allow Irradiation on Ready-to-Eat Foods

August 24, 1999

The Food Irradiation Coalition, made up of food industry trade associations, health organizations, academic and consumer groups, has asked the Food and Drug Administration to extend the use of irradiation for ready-to-eat foods. Meat and poultry products and fruit and vegetable products are on the list.

"We are submitting this petition to extend the use of food irradiation to help eliminate illness-causing microbial pathogens on various ready-to-eat foods, thereby reducing related incidents of food-borne illness," the coalition says. "Further, the use of this process can be expected to enhance the shelf-life of these...foods."

Specific examples of foods covered by the petition include sprouts and seeds, juices, frozen fruits and vegetable such as broccoli, peas and strawberries; cut and packaged salads; refrigerated ready-to-eat meat and poultry products such as deli and luncheon meats; hot dogs; dried meat and poultry products such as beef jerky and turkey jerky, and frozen meat and poultry such as pre-cooked beef patties and pre-cooked frozen fried chicken.

Rhona Applebaum, National Food Processors Association executive vice president of scientific and regulatory affairs, says scientific evidence "strongly supports the safety of food irradiation as well as the many benefits this process offers for consumers and food companies alike." Scientific bodies that believe food irradiation can be a valuable tool to prevent food-borne illness outbreaks range from the World Health Organization to the American Medical Association and the FDA.