The Food and Drug Administration today approved irradiation of fresh spinach and iceberg lettuce. The irradiation process will expose the produce to low amounts of radiation designed to kill germs and bacteria such as E. coli and salmonella. The method is also believed to help food last longer and according to the FDA, the produce will not lose its nutrient value.
The FDA says the irradiation process has been tested for more than 40 years and deemed safe to be used on a variety of foods.
Food growers and shippers can voluntarily decide whether or not to irradiate iceberg lettuce and spinach. However, if they do treat their produce, they must notify consumers. The FDA requires that foods which have been irradiated carry the “radura” label along with the statement “Treated with radiation” or “Treated by irradiation.”
The FDA continues to recommend that consumers wash fresh and bagged produce before eating it, unless the packaging specifically states that the product has been prewashed.
Source: http://www.fda.gov/consumer/updates/irradiation082208.html
Tags: E. coli, FDA, irradiation, lettuce, salmonella, spinach
