NEW STUDY REVEALS RISKS OF IRRADIATED FOOD
New findings indicate cancer and DNA damage caused by chemicals in irradiated food
New studies conducted in Europe found that the chemical byproducts found in irradiated foods may actually increase the risk of colon cancer and cause DNA damage to those who consume these products, according the Center for Food Safety and Public Citizen.
New Findings
French and German scientists from a number of renowned institutions conducted a three-year study consisting of 5 toxicity studies and several secondary studies to determine the effects of consuming irradiated foods, foods that are exposed to low doses of electrons to destroy harmful microorganisms such as E. coli and salmonella.
The studies confirm that concentrations of chemicals called 2-alkylcyclobutanones (2-ACB's), formed when foods that contain fat are irradiated, caused DNA damage in human cells and were shown to promote tumor development in rat colons. In addition, scientists could not recover or account for the majority of a dose of 2-ACB's fed to rats, implying that the chemical is stored in other parts of the body, largely metabolized or transformed into other compounds. Only small amounts could be found in the fat of rats.
Implications for Irradiation in the U.S.
These disturbing findings come at a time when a variety of irradiated foods, long thought to be safe for consumption, are widely available to the American public. Recently, irradiated foods made headlines when a proposal called for irradiated meats to be introduced into the federal school lunch program. Nearly 27 million children receive free or low-cost meals daily in the program, which currently prohibits irradiated meat. Since the USDA called for public input in November, thousands of concerned parents have responded, claiming that the necessary research has not been done to ensure the safety of this meat.
The FDA began approving irradiated meat products, eggs, vegetables and spices 20 years ago, and they currently have five pending requests to allow irradiation of even more types of food, including the "ready-to-eat" variety that has inundated the U.S. market. Foods in this category- deli meat, frozen meals, and snack foods- make up more than a third of a standard American diet. Legalizing irradiation for shellfish and several other food classes is also under consideration.
Based on new evidence from these studies, Public Citizen and the Center for Food Safety have filed formal complaints with the FDA, urging them deny these pending requests for further irradiation of other food types and also asking them to consider reevaluating past approvals.