Food Irradiation: Minnesota Steps Forward

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Food Irradiation Minnesota Steps Forward
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The Problem Foodborne Illness

• Foodborne illness is caused by bacteria, viruses,
  and parasites in our food.
• Foodborne illness usually shows itself with
  symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or
  fever.

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The Cost of Foodborne Illness
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The Cost of Foodborne Disease

• Millions of illnesses every year in America
• The very young, the very old, and those with
  weakened immune systems are especially
  vulnerable.
• Long term chronic illness from foodborne illness

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Estimated Cases and Impact of Acute Diarrheal
Illness in Minnesota, FoodNet 1996

• Acute diarrhea 6.6 million
• Sought medical care 515,000
• Visited emergency room 48,900
• Hospitalized 30,500

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Medical Care for Acute Diarrhea, By Age Group,
FoodNet 1996
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Foodborne Illness in Minnesota

• From 1994 through 1998, over 14,000 Minnesotans
  were diagnosed with pathogens such as Salmonella
  or Campylobacter that can be transmitted by food.

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How do pathogens get in food?

• They may be present on food when you purchase it.
• Clean food can become contaminated after
  purchase during storage or preparation.

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Salmonella
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Contamination of Cattle Carcasses and Ground Beef
Percent Contaminated
Source USDA Sampling Programs
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Contaminating Cooked Hamburger with E. coli
Raw hamburger
Cooked hamburger
grill
Plate with raw hamburger juices
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Confirmed Foodborne Outbreaks Associated with
Fresh Produce Minnesota, 1981-1998
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Food IrradiationPart of the Solution

• Does drastically reduce the presence of foodborne
  pathogens.
• Does maintain the nutrition of foods more than
  other methods of preservation.
• Does kill some insects in fresh produce and
  grains.
• Does preserve the flavor and texture of food.
• Does increase shelf life.

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Food Irradiation Part of the Solution

• Doesnt replace good food storage and preparation
  habits at home and in restaurants.
• Doesnt replace restaurant inspection.
• Doesnt replace inspection and regulation of food
  processing industry.
• Doesnt completely eliminate all potential
  disease organisms.

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History of Food Irradiation

• First paper published with the idea of
  irradiating food 1895
• First commercial use in Germany in 1957
• 1963 FDA approved the use of irradiation for
  wheat and wheat flour.
• Early 1970s NASA used irradiated food for
  astronauts.

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How is food irradiated?

• Food, usually packaged, is sent through a
  shielded room on a conveyor belt.
• The food is moved through the room with the
  radiation source (usually cobalt-60) exposed for
  the amount of time required.
• Food leaves the room and is ready for
  distribution.

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FDA Approved Uses of Irradiation
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Radura
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Irradiated Food Around the World

• China apples
• Mexico rice
• Thailand raw pork sausages
• Canada wheat
• France frog legs
• and 40 other countries

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Irradiated Food

• Is it safe? Yes. Forty years of testing have
  identified no causes of concern. The irradiation
  of food is the most extensively tested food
  production process ever.
• Is it nutritionally healthy? Yes. There are
  slight decreases in some nutrients after
  irradiation but much less than those seen with
  canning, cooking or drying.

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Supporters of Food Irradiation

• American Medical Association
• World Health Organization
• American Dietetic Association
• Institute of Food Technologists
• American Council on Science and Health
• Food and Drug Administration
• American Public Health Association
• U.S. Department of Agriculture
• and many more

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• So whats the problem? Why arent we all eating
  irradiated food every day? Why arent the store
  shelves packed with irradiated foods?

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Myths About Food Irradiation

• It will destroy the nutritional content of food.
• The process produces byproducts in food that are
  dangerous.
• If food production facilities were cleaner, we
  wouldnt need food irradiation.
• Large scale food irradiation will place workers
  in a dangerous occupation.

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Milk Pasteurization Similar Concerns

• Although we take it for granted now, milk
  pasteurization inspired similar fears in the
  early 1900s despite the evidence that untreated
  milk carried many pathogens including those
  causing tuberculosis.

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Anti-pasteurization Arguments

• This is little more than an excuse for the sale
  of contaminated milk.
• Pasteurization decreases the nutritional value of
  milk.
• It leads to the formation of harmful products in
  milk.
• Pasteurization diminishes the fertility of
  animals fed on it and might lower the human birth
  rate. From Technology Review
  November-December 1997

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Pasteurization Labeling

• When the Massachusetts state legislature finally
  approved the pasteurization of milk, it required
  that the milk carry this label Heated Milk in
  black inch-high Gothic letters on a light
  background.

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Radura
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Food Irradiation Minnesota Steps Forward

• Presentation developed by the Food Safety Center
  of the Minnesota Department of Health
• Food photographs from
• Department of Food Science, University of
  Oklahoma
• College of Biology and Agriculture, Brigham Young
  University

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For more information about food irradiation,
contact the Food Safety Center at the Minnesota
Department of Healthfoodsafe_at_health.state.mn.us
612-676-5068