" "Irradiation is not the solution to food-borne illness," said Bill Freese, Science Policy Analyst at the Center for Food Safety. "In fact, it serves to distract attention from the unsanitary conditions of industrial agriculture that create the problem in the first place."

In 2006, California spinach contaminated with E. coli O157:H7 sickened over 200 people, and killed three. A field investigation by FDA and the State of California identified the same strain of E. coli O157:H7 in cattle feces from a ranch close to where the spinach was grown.

Besides being the source of 3/4ths of the nation's spinach, California is home to nearly 5 million cows which produce 15 million tons of manure every year - manure that often ends up in nearby waterways, including the ditches and channels of irrigation water for crops like spinach. Dried manure can even blow onto neighboring fields in clouds of dust.

"Irradiation kills some bacteria in our foods, but it is no substitute for measures to clean up the huge animal operations that pollute our waterways and irrigation water with the raw manure that often carries pathogenic bacteria," said Freese."

[www.centerforfoodsafety.org]



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 09/09/2008 05:20PM by brome.

"Recycled animal waste, such as processed chicken manure and litter, has been used as a feed ingredient for almost 40 years. This animal waste contains large amounts of protein, fiber, and minerals, and has been deliberately mixed into animal feed for these nutrients"

[www.pickle-publishing.com]

totally and completely in line with my thinking on this subject. irradiation is the quick and dirty bandaid solution to this big problem. i'd like to say to others that they are entitled to eat whatever they like but it's starting to affect my veggies and that i can't agree to.

Yes the problem is bigger than we think...I can also see the gov trying to tax people for growing their own produce in their own back yards!!!

Oh.... you really don't think the govs going to let people do their own thing do you when it puts so much money into destroying produce????

F1