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On Food Irradiation

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Food Irradiation: Why It is Harmful to Your Health and Energy

food irradiation-1Pao L. Chang, Guest
Waking Times

Food irradiation, also known as “cold pasteurization” or “irradiation pasteurization,” is a food sterilization technology that has been around for nearly a century. Food irradiation is done by exposing food to ionizing radiation, which according to the EPA, “kills bacteria and other pathogens, that could otherwise result in spoilage or food poisoning.”

How is Food Irradiated?

According to the EPA, the process of irradiating food involves exposing the food to radioactive materials by passing it through a radiation beam, and therefore the food does not come in direct contact with radioactive materials.

As described at EPA.gov.

Bulk or packaged food passes through a radiation chamber on a conveyor belt. The food does not come into contact with radioactive materials, but instead passes through a radiation beam, like a large flashlight.

The type of food and the specific purpose of the irradiation determine the amount of radiation, or dose, necessary to process a particular product. The speed of the belt helps control the radiation dose delivered to the food by controlling the exposure time. The actual dose is measured by dosimeters within the food containers.

Cobalt-60 is the most commonly used radionuclide for food irradiation. However, there are also large cesium-137 irradiators and the Army has also used spent fuel rods for irradiation.

Does irradiated food sound like something you would want to eat? Even though the food does not come in direct contact with radioactive materials, it does not mean that the food is not contaminated with harmful levels of radiation.

Pros and Cons and Health Effects of Food Irradiation

The good things about using ionizing radiation to sterilize food are that it may increase the shelf life of the food, and can destroy most harmful microorganisms and insects. The bad things are that it can change the natural structures of the food and destroy many of its nutrients, making it unhealthy and even harmful to eat. As a result, your health will suffer which often leads to a lack of energy and even chronic fatigue.

As mentioned at PreventDisease.com.

Irradiated foods are exposed to high level radiation for the purpose of sterilizing it. There is an abundance of convincing evidence in the refereed scientific literature that the condensation products of the free radicals formed during irradiation produce statistically significant increases in carcinogenesis, mutagenesis and cardiovascular disease in animals and man. This is in addition to the destruction of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients.

Food irradiation is not as effective as they claim, because it does not guarantee that all microorganisms and insects are eliminated from the food. Many supporters of food irradiation claim that it is needed to prevent world hunger. This is nothing more than a big fat lie.

One of the main reasons why there is a lack of food in certain parts of the world is because of corporate farming. Corporate farming’s bad agricultural practices have destroyed many farmland due to their heavy use of toxic agrochemicals. Companies that support corporate farming do not really care about the environment. What they care about is profit.

Why You Should Not Always Rely on the FDA for Food Safety

Many people think that because the FDA has approved the use of food irradiation, food that has been irradiated should be safe enough to eat. This is not always true. The FDA is highly influenced by food companies and their lobbyists. They are the reason why the FDA is still in business.

I suggest avoiding irradiated food as much as possible because ionizing radiation can negatively affect the natural chemical structures of the food and its nutrients. If the radiation is strong enough to kill bacteria and insects, it is strong enough to cause permanent damage to the organic structures of the food.

How to Avoid Irradiated Food

  • Do not purchase food products with the Radura symbol on it.
  • If the food product has the content “treated with radiation” or “treated by irradiation,” do not buy or consume it.
  • Look for misleading labels, such as “electronically pasteurized,” “cold pasteurization,” and “irradiation pasteurization” on food products. Food products that have these labels are often treated with radiation, so avoid eating them.
  • Buy organic food at stores that specialize in whole food.
  • Buy fruits and vegetables at your local farmer’s market.

According to NaturalNews.com, the FDA’s regulations on food irradiation are not very strict. “For example, if you buy coleslaw, and the cabbage in the coleslaw has been irradiated, there is no requirement that the coleslaw carry any labeling indicating it has been irradiated.” This means that most American consumers are already eating irradiated food without even knowing it.

Sources:

About the Author

Pao L. Chang is the author and founder of EnergyFanatics.com and OmniThought.org, two comprehensive blogs dedicated to exploring topics about energy, health, conscious living, spiritual science, and exotic “free energy” technology. He loves to explore the mystery of alternative medicine, the science of consciousness, quantum mechanics, sacred geometry, and how energy affects the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual body.

Food Irradiation Safety

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Harmful if swallowed – The dangers of food irradiation

Sunday, September 01, 2013 by: Nate Curtis

(NaturalNews) Food irradiation was implemented to eradicate potentially harmful substances that pose health risks to consumers. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has long ago approved irradiation for products including meats, fruits and vegetables. While eliminating dangerous bacteria sounds like a step in the right direction, the research behind food irradiation is highly flawed.

Irradiation wipes out good bacteria as well as the harmful kinds. Good bacteria found in foods curb the growth of dangerous bacteria and produce an odor that indicates spoilage. There is also a chance that the bacteria that survive the irradiation process can mutate and become radiation-resistant, which would make the entire process ineffective and potentially lead to the formation of bacteria that is also resistant to antibiotics.

“Radiation is a carcinogen, mutagen and teratogen,” Dr. Geraldine Dettman, a Brown University safety officer, points out. “At doses of 100,000 rads on fruits and vegetables, the cells of the fruits and vegetables will be killed, and most insect larvae will be destroyed, but fungi, bacteria and viruses growing on the fruit and vegetables will not be killed . . . They will be mutated, possibly leading to more virulent contaminants.”

It alters the content of food

The nutritional content of irradiated foods is seriously compromised. Irradiation can destroy between 5 percent and 80 percent of vitamins and nutrients found in a variety of foods including essential vitamins A, B complex, C, E, and K. For example, irradiated eggs lose 80 percent of vitamin A and orange juice loses 48 percent of beta-carotene.

Irradiation not only reduces the food’s nutritional content, but also changes its flavor, texture and odor. For example, turkey and pork can become bright red while beef can turn from red into a shade of green or brown. Numerous studies show that irradiated foods are inferior in taste, texture, and smell to non-irradiated foods.

It has not been proven to be safe

Scientific studies that were used to legalize irradiation used old scientific methods and were not extensive. In fact, the study of how irradiated foods affect the human body lasted for only 15 weeks before it was discontinued and irradiated foods were deemed safe for human consumption. There is no research available to determine the long-term effects of eating irradiated foods. Furthermore the research used to approve irradiation did not fulfill current scientific protocols required by federal law.

Dr. Gayle Eversole states, “Food irradiation exposes food to the equivalent of 30 million chest X-rays. Irradiation creates new chemicals in foods called radiolytic products. Some of these products are known cancer-causing substances….No one knows the long term impact of eating unknown quantities of these damaged foods. Studies on animals fed irradiated foods have shown increased tumors, reproductive failures and kidney damage. Chromosomal abnormalities occurred in children from India who were fed freshly irradiated wheat.”

Irradiation is ineffective

Irradiation kills the majority of bacteria that cause food borne illnesses but does not eradicate other waste that can contaminate meat and other foods due to unsanitary conditions in slaughterhouses and processing plants. It does not eliminate contaminants such as urine, feces and vomit. It also doesn’t destroy the virus that causes Mad Cow disease.

Being aware of the dangers of food irradiation will help you avoid foods that can be potentially harmful to your body. Irradiated foods are required to be labeled with a symbol resembling an encircled leafy plant. Remember to always double check the food you buy, question its origins and read the labels carefully.