Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
Ed Yeates ReportingHas this spinach contamination incident backed us into a corner leaving no way out now but to impose tougher but controversial purification restrictions on raw produce?
Folks in European countries "float" food all the time. They buy raw vegetables, not bagged, then float and wash them in water treated with say a tablespoon of chlorine bleach. But food safety experts here say even that's not entirely fool proof.
In 1993, researchers in Utah were experimenting with irradiation systems to see if the approved use - even back then of low dose gamma radiation - could be expanded to include a much broader range of things, like produce. Irradiation is now approved for meats, poultry, some fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts and sprouts.
Dr. Wayne Askew, University of Utah College of Health: "The FDA has studied it for 40 years - doesn't seem to alter the product, certainly doesn't make it radioactive. It's very effective against bacteria - E. coli, camplobacter, salmonella."
Dr. Wayne Askew directs the University of Utah's foods and nutrition division in the College of Health. He's also a former member of the FDA's Food Safety Advisory Committee. He says irradiation may be the only way to ensure safety.
It could easily work on an assembly line, zapping spinach, lettuce or whatever as it passes through the system. But "radiation" is still a dirty word with most consumers, even though it's been safely used on products for years.
At the same time, widespread contamination incidents like this latest one damages the industry and, as Dr. Askew says, consumer confidence.
Dr. Wayne Askew: "Now that we've worked for years to convince people they should eat spinach in place of iceberg lettuce, for example -- much more nutritional product to put into a salad -- and just when we get people leaning that way we get something that scares them."
While endorsing irradiation, Dr. Askew worries, however, that zapping more foods may make consumers complacent, eliminating the incentive to thoroughly clean fresh foods in their own kitchens.
Those close to the FDA say instead of irradiation or chemical washes, the government most likely will impose tough new restrictions on how the products are grown and irrigated with very stiff penalties for any violations.
