FDA Seeks Comments on
Irradiation of Imported Fruits, Vegetables

ENS 18mar02

WASHINGTON, DC -- The federal government has proposed regulations that would allow the use of irradiation on fruits and vegetables imported into the United States to control fruit flies and the mango seed weevil. Irradiation would provide an alternative to current control methods, such as fumigation and cold and heat treatments.

In an amendment to the proposal issued Friday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) would now require the use of radiation indicators on cartons of irradiated items and require additional inspection and monitoring of foreign irradiation facilities.

One technology for irradiation indication produces an invisible fluorescence that can be detected by an inexpensive handheld light-pen reader. Indicators could also be incorporated into a white-on-white bar code that would show a darkened background after irradiation. Bar code information could record lot number or other marketing information that could prove useful in tracing a carton back to its source. As a safeguard against repeated use of the same indicator, they could be applied with one-time-only adhesive.

But the Minnesota based Organic Consumers Association (OCA) objects that attempts to irradiate food abroad and export it to the United States are accelerating.

"Irradiation damages food by breaking up molecules and creating free radicals. The free radicals kill some bacteria, but they also bounce around in the food, damage vitamins and enzymes, and combine with existing chemicals, like pesticides, in the food to form new chemicals, called unique radiolytic products," the OCA says.

Science has not proved that a long term diet of irradiated foods is safe for human health. The longest human feeding study was 15 weeks, the group warns.

In addition to meats, fruits, vegetables, wheat, wheat flour, eggs in the shell, herbs, spices, dried vegetable seasonings and seeds that will be used for sprouting are approved for irradiation in the United States.

Irradiation critics such as Dr. Samuel Epstein of the Chicago University School of Public Health warn that, "Irrespective of whether radiated by radioactive cobalt pellets or rods, X-ray machines or electron beams, the current permissible radiation dosage is about 200 million times greater than a chest X-ray."

"Irradiation results in major losses of vitamins, particularly A, C, E and the B complex," Dr. Epstein says.

Most irradiated foods do not have to be labeled to the consumer, according to government policy.

APHIS documents published in the Federal Register and related information, including the names of organizations and individuals who have commented, are available online at: http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ppd/rad/webrepor.html.

Public comments are welcome by April 15. Please send an original and three copies of postal or commercial delivery comments to Docket No. 98-030-3, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 3C71, 4700 River Road, Unit 118, Riverdale, Md. 20737-1238. Email to: regulations@aphis.usda.gov. Your comments must be contained in the body of the message; do not send attached files. Include your name and address in the message and use the Docket No. 98-030-3 on the subject line.