Comments on: What is Irradiated Food and Why Should I Avoid It? http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2009/07/21/what-is-irradiated-food-and-why-should-i-avoid-it/ Welcome to Eat Drink Better: Sustainable Food for a Healthy Lifestyle Mon, 13 Feb 2012 16:41:11 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Gumbo http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2009/07/21/what-is-irradiated-food-and-why-should-i-avoid-it/comment-page-2/#comment-99806 Gumbo Sun, 03 Oct 2010 21:07:19 +0000 http://eatdrinkbetter.com/?p=2092#comment-99806 This article spouts nothing. Nothing to back up the dangers. We have cosmic rays penetrating us every second of every day. Radiation is all around us. The author feeds upon fear. This article spouts nothing. Nothing to back up the dangers. We have cosmic rays penetrating us every second of every day. Radiation is all around us.

The author feeds upon fear.

]]> By: auggie http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2009/07/21/what-is-irradiated-food-and-why-should-i-avoid-it/comment-page-2/#comment-70867 auggie Mon, 08 Mar 2010 04:02:01 +0000 http://eatdrinkbetter.com/?p=2092#comment-70867 Look at the worst case scenario - if something has salt added then worst case is too much salt, if fresh fish is soaked in clorine dioxide (farmed salmon is) then it could be soaked too long and would have no odor - just like your laundry - I wouldn't want to eat it though. With irrridiated food, well the science isn't in and if it is going on in third world countries then well I don't want to be a guinea pig... Look at the worst case scenario – if something has salt added then worst case is too much salt, if fresh fish is soaked in clorine dioxide (farmed salmon is) then it could be soaked too long and would have no odor – just like your laundry – I wouldn’t want to eat it though. With irrridiated food, well the science isn’t in and if it is going on in third world countries then well I don’t want to be a guinea pig…

]]> By: Steve Savage http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2009/07/21/what-is-irradiated-food-and-why-should-i-avoid-it/comment-page-2/#comment-38304 Steve Savage Fri, 31 Jul 2009 01:54:43 +0000 http://eatdrinkbetter.com/?p=2092#comment-38304 You make it sound like there really is a lot of irradiated food. There is actually very little and probably should be more. The main thing that is irradiated is dried spices that are used as seasonings in processed and ready to eat foods. If it wasn't there would be a lot more illness. You make it sound like there really is a lot of irradiated food. There is actually very little and probably should be more. The main thing that is irradiated is dried spices that are used as seasonings in processed and ready to eat foods. If it wasn’t there would be a lot more illness.

]]> By: Marjorie Mazel Hecht http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2009/07/21/what-is-irradiated-food-and-why-should-i-avoid-it/comment-page-1/#comment-37680 Marjorie Mazel Hecht Mon, 27 Jul 2009 21:52:12 +0000 http://eatdrinkbetter.com/?p=2092#comment-37680 This article is full of wildly incorrect statements. You may not want to eat irradiated food, but why lie about the process and scare people? Most produce is NOT irradiated. There are very minute differences between irradiated and non-irradiated produce and other foods--vitamins, antioxidants, etc. Irradiated food has been researched for more than 50 years, and the scientific literature is available for the public. Irradiated food has never harmed any human being. It's what the Apollo astronauts ate in space, where they could not afford to have any food-borne pathogens. Marje Hecht Managing Editor, 21st Century Science & Technology This article is full of wildly incorrect statements. You may not want to eat irradiated food, but why lie about the process and scare people? Most produce is NOT irradiated. There are very minute differences between irradiated and non-irradiated produce and other foods–vitamins, antioxidants, etc.

Irradiated food has been researched for more than 50 years, and the scientific literature is available for the public. Irradiated food has never harmed any human being. It’s what the Apollo astronauts ate in space, where they could not afford to have any food-borne pathogens.

Marje Hecht
Managing Editor, 21st Century Science & Technology

]]> By: NL http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2009/07/21/what-is-irradiated-food-and-why-should-i-avoid-it/comment-page-1/#comment-37321 NL Wed, 22 Jul 2009 20:39:53 +0000 http://eatdrinkbetter.com/?p=2092#comment-37321 So if irradiated foods are required to be labeled as such, then what does that mean for non-organic unpackaged produce? How can we know if that's been irradiated or not? Or must we assume it has been if it's not organic? So if irradiated foods are required to be labeled as such, then what does that mean for non-organic unpackaged produce? How can we know if that’s been irradiated or not? Or must we assume it has been if it’s not organic?

]]> By: Anna M http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2009/07/21/what-is-irradiated-food-and-why-should-i-avoid-it/comment-page-1/#comment-37293 Anna M Wed, 22 Jul 2009 13:59:12 +0000 http://eatdrinkbetter.com/?p=2092#comment-37293 Good to know that the established natural food stores are still good sources of foods that actually contain the nutrients we're seeking. We have to be so vigilant these days...it makes you want to move to Oregon and take up farming. Thanks for the info! - Anna blog.nutri-health.com Good to know that the established natural food stores are still good sources of foods that actually contain the nutrients we’re seeking. We have to be so vigilant these days…it makes you want to move to Oregon and take up farming. Thanks for the info!
- Anna
blog.nutri-health.com

]]> By: Zec http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2009/07/21/what-is-irradiated-food-and-why-should-i-avoid-it/comment-page-1/#comment-37289 Zec Wed, 22 Jul 2009 13:38:10 +0000 http://eatdrinkbetter.com/?p=2092#comment-37289 What’s with the paranoia about food that actually IS safer? “Irradiating a food can cause it to lose a large percentage of its vitamin content.” Prove it. Where did the vitamins go? “The long-term effects of irradiation are unknown…” Wrong. Nobody has ever been made ill by irradiated food, but plenty have been sick with Salmonella, E. coli, and others. There is nothing present in irradiated food that isn’t present in lightly cooked food. “Irradiation puts a band-aid on contamination issues…” Well, I don’t see anyone doing anything else about it. Why do you think you’re supposed to cook meat thoroughly? I’d rather eat an irradiated poo-filled food than a non-irradiated one. That’s the silliest argument I’ve ever heard someone make. “Irradiation creates super bacteria.” No, it doesn’t. Irradiation kills ALL bacteria, and even if there is anything left it’s been rendered sterile and cannot reproduce in any way, shape, or form. And again, if you make wild claims, have some wild evidence to back it up. “We don’t know…” is called appealing to ignorance and is a logical fallacy. It is not evidence. “It’s messing with stuff” is also not a valid argument. What’s with the paranoia about food that actually IS safer?

“Irradiating a food can cause it to lose a large percentage of its vitamin content.” Prove it. Where did the vitamins go?

“The long-term effects of irradiation are unknown…” Wrong. Nobody has ever been made ill by irradiated food, but plenty have been sick with Salmonella, E. coli, and others. There is nothing present in irradiated food that isn’t present in lightly cooked food.

“Irradiation puts a band-aid on contamination issues…” Well, I don’t see anyone doing anything else about it. Why do you think you’re supposed to cook meat thoroughly? I’d rather eat an irradiated poo-filled food than a non-irradiated one. That’s the silliest argument I’ve ever heard someone make.

“Irradiation creates super bacteria.” No, it doesn’t. Irradiation kills ALL bacteria, and even if there is anything left it’s been rendered sterile and cannot reproduce in any way, shape, or form.

And again, if you make wild claims, have some wild evidence to back it up. “We don’t know…” is called appealing to ignorance and is a logical fallacy. It is not evidence. “It’s messing with stuff” is also not a valid argument.

]]> By: Jeff Woelker http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2009/07/21/what-is-irradiated-food-and-why-should-i-avoid-it/comment-page-1/#comment-37287 Jeff Woelker Wed, 22 Jul 2009 13:28:35 +0000 http://eatdrinkbetter.com/?p=2092#comment-37287 Hi Marygrace, Beyond irradiation, I might also take a look at how far your food has traveled when shopping at Whole Foods. On a recent trip, I could barely find anything grown within 2 or 300 miles of Chicago. Most of it is flown in from Argentina, Mexico, Chile, or other far flung territories. The distance and irradiated food problem are somewhat related, as many food organisms, if moved from farm to table quickly are not an issue. However, when you have to ship grapes from Mexico to Chicago, you have to take many more precautions, thus irradiation is employed. I might suggest your readers check out Local Harvest to find local food near them as an alternative to large chain grocery stores: http://www.localharvest.org/ Jeff Hi Marygrace,
Beyond irradiation, I might also take a look at how far your food has traveled when shopping at Whole Foods. On a recent trip, I could barely find anything grown within 2 or 300 miles of Chicago. Most of it is flown in from Argentina, Mexico, Chile, or other far flung territories.

The distance and irradiated food problem are somewhat related, as many food organisms, if moved from farm to table quickly are not an issue. However, when you have to ship grapes from Mexico to Chicago, you have to take many more precautions, thus irradiation is employed.

I might suggest your readers check out Local Harvest to find local food near them as an alternative to large chain grocery stores: http://www.localharvest.org/
Jeff

]]> By: Marygrace Stergakos http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2009/07/21/what-is-irradiated-food-and-why-should-i-avoid-it/comment-page-1/#comment-37284 Marygrace Stergakos Wed, 22 Jul 2009 12:47:39 +0000 http://eatdrinkbetter.com/?p=2092#comment-37284 Adam - Irradiated foods are required to be labeled with "treated with/by irradiation" however, this print can be as small as the font for an ingredient list. Further, if a food is not entirely irradiated (for instance, a packaged item that in itself has not been irradiated but contains an irradiated ingredient) it does not have to be labeled as irradiated at all. Susanna - Whole Foods does not support irradiated foods, and irradiation is not in compliance with organic standards. So whether you buy organic at Whole Foods or not, the food you get there won't be irradiated, and I would imagine this is the case with any other respectable natural food stores, too. Adam – Irradiated foods are required to be labeled with “treated with/by irradiation” however, this print can be as small as the font for an ingredient list. Further, if a food is not entirely irradiated (for instance, a packaged item that in itself has not been irradiated but contains an irradiated ingredient) it does not have to be labeled as irradiated at all.

Susanna – Whole Foods does not support irradiated foods, and irradiation is not in compliance with organic standards. So whether you buy organic at Whole Foods or not, the food you get there won’t be irradiated, and I would imagine this is the case with any other respectable natural food stores, too.

]]> By: Susanna http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2009/07/21/what-is-irradiated-food-and-why-should-i-avoid-it/comment-page-1/#comment-37239 Susanna Tue, 21 Jul 2009 20:46:16 +0000 http://eatdrinkbetter.com/?p=2092#comment-37239 wait, so are you saying that they can irradiate food that's certified organic? eeeew. And does Whole Foods sell NO irradiated foods? (I'll try to remember to look for the flyer next time I'm there) Do they track that through the supply chain of their prepared/canned food vendors? wait, so are you saying that they can irradiate food that’s certified organic? eeeew.

And does Whole Foods sell NO irradiated foods? (I’ll try to remember to look for the flyer next time I’m there) Do they track that through the supply chain of their prepared/canned food vendors?

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