Guest guest Posted November 22, 2002 Report Share Posted November 22, 2002 Hi All: I just called UPS and found that that they irradiate some of their packages. I was concerned about this because, as many of you, I do order some food items through the mail. I was assured that only " suspicious " packages get irradiated, but that's ambiguous to me. What do you all feel about irradiated food? I'm not happy about this. I was told they have been doing it since the 9/11 incident. I've got a big box of seaweed that I'm not sure I should be eating anymore. Then again, gee, I don't even know if it got irradiated. It certainly wasn't cheap. Marla Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 22, 2002 Report Share Posted November 22, 2002 Marla, Eat it. DMM ps-but not all at once :-) > Hi All: > > I just called UPS and found that that they irradiate some of their packages. > I was concerned about this because, as many of you, I do order some food > items through the mail. I was assured that only " suspicious " packages get > irradiated, but that's ambiguous to me. What do you all feel about > irradiated food? I'm not happy about this. I was told they have been doing > it since the 9/11 incident. I've got a big box of seaweed that I'm not sure > I should be eating anymore. Then again, gee, I don't even know if it got > irradiated. It certainly wasn't cheap. > > > Marla Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 22, 2002 Report Share Posted November 22, 2002 --- Marla <talithakumi@...> wrote: > I was > told they have been doing > it since the 9/11 incident. Then they lied to me when I asked earlier this year!!! So I wonder what the heck they ARE doing? Well, even if it is only suspicious packages (so I guess if it has a company label on it, it is okay???), they are one up on the post office where they still irradiates everything (as of the summer time, anyway). ------------->I called both UPS and the post office after 9/11 - don't remember exactly when. I think it was last winter. UPS said they weren't irradiating and didn't have plans to at the time, IIRC. The post office said only one area was irradiating - i think the main PO that handled the Washington Gov't buildings' mail, AND she said that all irradiated packages are labelled as such. I think the cost might be prohibitive...I vaguely recall being told that they simply couldn't irradiate all mail because buying and installing the machines in POs around the country would be a hugely expensive undertaking. Maybe they've changed their policy since then? I certainly hope not since I order supplements through the mail. Suze Fisher Lapdog Design, Inc. Web Design & Development http://members.bellatlantic.net/~vze3shjg/ mailto:s.fisher22@... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 22, 2002 Report Share Posted November 22, 2002 >Dang it! I wish we at least had a consistent story! >My local PO in Connecticut, this summer some time, >told me all packages were being scanned. And just >about every package I get has a sticker on it. (I >forget what says, " please scan " or something, its >green.) > scanned or irradiated? Not the same thing. -- Warm Regards, Bethanne Elion Poultney, Vermont http://www.barkingbear.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 22, 2002 Report Share Posted November 22, 2002 Quoting Suze Fisher <s.fisher22@...>: > ------------->I called both UPS and the post office after 9/11 - don't > remember exactly when. I think it was last winter. UPS said they weren't > irradiating and didn't have plans to at the time, IIRC. The post office > said > only one area was irradiating - i think the main PO that handled the > Washington Gov't buildings' mail, AND she said that all irradiated > packages > are labelled as such. The purpose of irradiation is to kill bacteria, right? Who here has sent or received some sort of bacterial culture through the mail recently? Did it work? I would guess that any radiation powerful enough to kill anthrax spores would make short work of the bacteria in a kefir culture, and I had no problems with the ones I ordered six months ago (until I forgot to feed them for a month). Perhaps an experiment is in order. Does anyone know of something that is measurably changed by exposure to radiation? We could enclose it in a box and mail it around for a while to see if anything happens. > Maybe they've changed their policy since then? > I certainly hope not since I order supplements through the mail. What would radiation do to supplements, anyway? -- Berg bberg@... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 22, 2002 Report Share Posted November 22, 2002 Those of us involved in Body Electronics were concerned about this issue several months ago, and after making many phine call around the world, we decided it wasn't an issue. However, one can never be entirely sure, so this idea has merit. I would be willing to assist with funds. Two things we use as supplements would be easily testable, a liquid bacteria drink, and the digestive enzymes. the former is a bit cheaper, so i would be prepared to waste a bottle. i can send it to the us, and then it could be sent around.... any thoughts? Chris Berg <bberg@...> wrote:Quoting Suze Fisher <s.fisher22@...>: > ------------->I called both UPS and the post office after 9/11 - don't > remember exactly when. I think it was last winter. UPS said they weren't > irradiating and didn't have plans to at the time, IIRC. The post office > said > only one area was irradiating - i think the main PO that handled the > Washington Gov't buildings' mail, AND she said that all irradiated > packages > are labelled as such. The purpose of irradiation is to kill bacteria, right? Who here has sent or received some sort of bacterial culture through the mail recently? Did it work? I would guess that any radiation powerful enough to kill anthrax spores would make short work of the bacteria in a kefir culture, and I had no problems with the ones I ordered six months ago (until I forgot to feed them for a month). Perhaps an experiment is in order. Does anyone know of something that is measurably changed by exposure to radiation? We could enclose it in a box and mail it around for a while to see if anything happens. > Maybe they've changed their policy since then? > I certainly hope not since I order supplements through the mail. What would radiation do to supplements, anyway? -- Berg bberg@... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 22, 2002 Report Share Posted November 22, 2002 Hi : > The purpose of irradiation is to kill bacteria, right? Who here has sent or > received some sort of bacterial culture through the mail recently? Did it > work? I would guess that any radiation powerful enough to kill anthrax > spores would make short work of the bacteria in a kefir culture, and I had > no problems with the ones I ordered six months ago (until I forgot to feed > them for a month). I was thinking about that last night, and I did get my kombucha mushroom through the mail and it's doing great. Also, I brought the topic up on another forum and some things were brought up such as what Suze mentioned that it would be cost prohibitive and that only certain zip code areas are getting their packages irradiated. (Like Washington D.C.) It was also brought up that the procedure itself would probably noticeably damage the packages such as burns, melted plastics, etc. The plastic bags my seaweed were sorted in were fine. So, I'm assuming that my stuff didn't get irradiated although I'd prefer they didn't x-ray either. Oh well. x-rayed is better than irradiated/sterilized. Why bother looking for good quality, unheated food when they're just gonna cook it before we get it, right? Actually, sterilize it, which is worse. Sheesh. > > Perhaps an experiment is in order. Does anyone know of something that is > measurably changed by exposure to radiation? We could enclose it in a box > and mail it around for a while to see if anything happens. The problem with that is that it would be random. We need something that ensures us that whatever we get through the mail isn't sterilized. It's kind of like Russian Roulette unless they can tell us what guidelines there are to avoid it. I don't suppose they'd tell us what a " suspicious " package looks like! Ha! Marla Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 22, 2002 Report Share Posted November 22, 2002 So let me get this straight - UPS and the US Postal Service are irradiating packages???? Does anyone know if they must be marked if this has taken place and if so what the marking looks like? I order cheese and other products through the postal service and UPS and I would like to aware if this is taking place!!! Especially if they can do it without my knowledge. With all the hard work we put into finding healthy foods across the country this just can't be, or can it? > I was > told they have been doing > it since the 9/11 incident. Then they lied to me when I asked earlier this year!!! So I wonder what the heck they ARE doing? Well, even if it is only suspicious packages (so I guess if it has a company label on it, it is okay???), they are one up on the post office where they still irradiates everything (as of the summer time, anyway). ------------->I called both UPS and the post office after 9/11 - don't remember exactly when. I think it was last winter. UPS said they weren't irradiating and didn't have plans to at the time, IIRC. The post office said only one area was irradiating - i think the main PO that handled the Washington Gov't buildings' mail, AND she said that all irradiated packages are labelled as such. I think the cost might be prohibitive...I vaguely recall being told that they simply couldn't irradiate all mail because buying and installing the machines in POs around the country would be a hugely expensive undertaking. Maybe they've changed their policy since then? I certainly hope not since I order supplements through the mail. Suze Fisher Lapdog Design, Inc. Web Design & Development http://members.bellatlantic.net/~vze3shjg/ mailto:s.fisher22@... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 23, 2002 Report Share Posted November 23, 2002 >>>>>The purpose of irradiation is to kill bacteria, right? Who here has sent or received some sort of bacterial culture through the mail recently? Did it work? --------->i just ordered kefir grains from GEM cultures, so will find out in the next few weeks. I'm guessing GEM might have checked on the irradiation issue, since, if it harms their product, it might put a major crimp in their business since their whole biz is selling and shipping bacteria and yeasts. >>>>What would radiation do to supplements, anyway? -------->dunno. same thing it does to food, perhaps? I want my stuff unadulterated if it's not too much to ask. If someone could prove tht irradiation doesn't harm food, herbs or anything else I order via mail, then I won't worry. But until then, I'd rather receive my food and supps as is. Suze Fisher Lapdog Design, Inc. Web Design & Development http://members.bellatlantic.net/~vze3shjg/ mailto:s.fisher22@... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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