Add spinach & lettuce to irradiated food list

[Guest guest]

Spinach, lettuce is now added to the foods that

can be irradiated without labeling it.

This does not apply to organic foods.

I need to find out if this includes all lettuces

and if it's legal to label non-treated lettuce and spinach that's not organic.

In PA, it's illegal to label " milk without

antibiotics " . They say it implies that treated cows are unhealthy.

Just like Walmart-UK, when they got sued for banning BPA from plastics.

Another risk of irradiated foods is free

radicals. Even though the treated food is not

radioactive, the high energy treatment does

create free radicals. These active compounds will

react with packaging and other chemicals to

create new compounds. These chemical reactions can occur for weeks.

I'm sure no one has tested reactions with all of

the packaging materials available.

More importantly, what about us. Does it react

with other foods and chemicals we consume.

It must. That's the nature of free-radicals. They

are unstable and will react until they form more stable compounds.

California raw almonds differ in that all be heat

or chemically treated and not be labeled

that they are not " raw " . All CA. almonds going to

Canada or Mexico must also be treated.

For all those who eat organic foods, this is somewhat of a blessing.

This action by the US FDA will increase the

availability and consumption of organic foods.

<http://www.naturalnews.com/023945.html>http://www.naturalnews.com/023945.html

http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dbmd/diseaseinfo/foodirradiation.htm#cdcposition

What is the CDC's position on food irradiation?

CDC has stated that food irradiation is a

promising new application of an established

technology. It holds great potential for

preventing many important food borne diseases

that are transmitted through meat, poultry, fresh

produce and other foods. An overwhelming body of

scientific evidence demonstrates that irradiation

does not harm the nutritional value of food, nor

does it make the food unsafe to eat. Just as for

the pasteurization of milk, it will be most

effective when irradiation is coupled to careful

sanitation programs. Consumer confidence will

depend on making food clean first, and then using

irradiation or pasteurization to make it safe.

Food irradiation is a logical next step to

reducing the burden of food borne disease in the United States.

According to the above CDC site, the following 8

countries have allowed irradiated foods:France,

the Netherlands, Portugal, Israel, Thailand, Russia, China and South Africa .

B.Olinsky, M.S.

Environmental Specialist

B.Olinsky's, M.S., Environmental Specialist, letter to the FDA 5/07

I am strongly against the FDA permitting a firm

to use the term " pasteurized " or any other term

that obfuscates the meaning of the term

" irradiated " . Pasteurization destroys enzymes in

food but Irradiation (bombarding foods with high

energy gamma radiation) creates free-radicals

which in turn combine and create more free

radicals. Mice and rats fed diets containing

freshly irradiated wheat showed, repeatedly in

separate experiments, increased levels of

polyploidy cells (cells with chromosome

abnormalities) in their bone marrow. Mice fed

freshly irradiated wheat-based diets showed

evidence of dominant lethal mutation as indicated

by increased numbers of intrauterine (prenatal) deaths.

Normal monkeys and undernourished children fed

diets containing freshly irradiated wheat showed

elevated levels of polyploidy (abnormal) cells in

circulating lymphocytes (white blood cells).

Irradiation uses high energy particles (gamma) to

split molecules into stable ions and free

radicals (inherently unstable and therefore

reactive). These free radicals will transform

into complex new compounds that are either stable

or different free-radicals and so on until the

chain is stopped when a stable compound is

formed. These reactions will continue long after

the irradiation process is over.

Numerous risks include increased carcinogenic,

mutagenic (i.e. converts nitrate to nitrite),

tested at considerably lower levels than needed

to " pasteurize " meats, reduced nutrient value,

concerns with formation of new compounds,

alteration of antibiotic resistance bacteria with

antibiotic treated foods, increasing food

susceptibility to microbial decay (some what

analogous to why we don't refreeze foods) and

increasing the production of potent carcinogens

such as aflatoxin produced by Aspergillus flavus.

The incorrect term of calling irradiated foods

" pasteurized " is not only dumbing down of

labeling laws, kowtowing to a select industry,

giving the FDA a bad image as far as " spinning "

to allegedly protecting consumer health, but also

an affront to consumer’s intelligence. So

industry doesn't wants to change the name to

promote consumer acceptance. It may also

ultimately hurt industry if consumers start

equating any pasteurized foods as being

irradiated. I wonder in the dairy industry would

think if consumers thought their pasteurized milk

or processed cheese food could be irradiated.

What happens when consumers learn about the

numerous the health effects of irradiation,

proven by accurate and valid studies. Taking

things a step further….what would attorneys do if

a manufacturer stated that their pasteurized

product is not irradiated. Wouldn't this be

illegal? Unfair competition? Would they get sued

for implying that similar (but irradiated)

products are different (inferior, can cause

health problems, not as nutritious, etc.).

By: B. Olinsky, M.S.

Environmental Specialist

Previously sent email

Learn more and take action:

<http://alerts.organicconsumers.org/trk/click?ref=zqtbkk3um_1-a4x3132x3219493 & >h\

ttp://www.organicconsumers.org/rd/irrad-label.cfm

There are repeated valid and accurate studies

showing the health effects of consuming irradiated foods.

The conclusion of expert testimony was that

irradiation is not safe, alters food and not the same as pasteurization.

The FDA is considering an industry proposal to

allow irradiated foods to be labelled " pasteurized " .

Irradiation uses high energy particles (gamma) to

split molecules into stable ions and free

radicals (inherently unstable and therefore

reactive). These free radicals will transform

into complex new compounds that are either stable

or different free-radicals and so on until the

chain is stopped when a stable compound is

formed. These reactions will continue long after

the irradiation process is over.

Numerous risks include increased carcinogenic,

mutagenic (i.e. converts nitrate to nitrite),

tested at considerably lower levels than needed

to " pasteurize " meats, reduced nutrient value,

concerns with formation of new compounds,

alteration of antibiotic resistance bacteria with

antibiotic treated foods, increasing food

susceptibility to microbial decay (some what

analogous to why we don't refreeze foods),

increasing the production of potent carcinogens

such as aflatoxin produced by Aspergillus flavus.

U.S. CONGRESSIONAL HEARINGS INTO FOOD

IRRADIATION

<http://www.ccnr.org/food_irradiation.html>http://www.ccnr.org/food_irradiation.\

html

To summarize, I do not believe that irradiated

foods have been shown to be safe for general

consumption. Equally important, the effects of

irradiation on the nutrient contents of food are

not established. I believe the prudent action to

take is to prohibit the irradiation of food until

the basic issues are sorted out. To do less would be irresponsible.

R Louria, Ph.D.,Chairman, Department of

Preventive Medicine and Community Health,

University of Medicine and Dentistry of NJ

ICGFI,FAO, WHO,IAEA,WHO Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex) & IPPC

concluded it's

safe. <http://www.iaea.org/icgfi/>http://www.iaea.org/icgfi/

B.Olinsky, M.S.

Environmental Specialist

--------------------------------------------------------

Sheri Nakken, former R.N., MA, Hahnemannian Homeopath

Vaccination Information & Choice Network, Nevada City CA & Wales UK

Vaccines - http://www.wellwithin1.com/vaccine.htm

Vaccine Dangers & Homeopathy Online/email courses - next classes Sept 08