From: Susan Rand [smck22@earthlink.net]
Sent: Wednesday, February 02, 2005 2:58 AM
To: AA-Me
Subject: FOOD IRRADIATION






> > Subject: FOOD IRRADIATION
> >
> >
> > > 
> > > 
> > > 
> > > 
> > >>A few days before Christmas, the Food and Drug Administration 
> > >>quietly  announced that they were granting an industry petition to 
> > >>increase
the
> > >> permitted energy level of X-rays used to irradiate food.  At this
> higher
> > >> energy level, it is possible for the components of the food to 
> > >> become "activated" (become radioactive).  The industry claims 
> > >> that any radioactivity will be short-lived.  But we think it is 
> > >> unacceptable
> that
> > >> consumers should be asked to accept any technology that creates 
> > >> radioactivity, no matter what the level.  Additionally, the FDA 
> > >> has
not
> > >> required adequate studies of the changes, chemical or otherwise, 
> > >> that this increased dose could cause in food.
> > >> 
> > >> The higher doses will allow large portions of food to be 
> > >> irradiated
in
> > >> one blast - such as shipping containers from overseas. This could 
> > >> increase the already enormous amount of imported meat and produce
that
> > >> floods U.S. markets, a growing trend that has forced tens of
thousands
> > >> of American farmers and ranchers out of business.
> > >> 
> > >> The FDA has a long history of ignoring the well-documented health 
> > >> problems associated with irradiated foods, which can be exposed 
> > >> to
the
> > >> equivalent of up to 1 billion chest X-rays. Numerous health 
> > >> problems have been observed in lab animals fed irradiated foods, 
> > >> including premature death, stillbirths, mutations, tumors, organ 
> > >> damage and stunted growth. And, chemicals formed in irradiated 
> > >> foods called
2-ACBs
> > >> have been linked to colon cancer promotion in rats and genetic 
> > >> damage
> in
> > >> human cells.
> > >> 
> > >> Send the FDA an email to object to their decision to increase the
dose 
> > >> of
> > >> X-rays used to irradiate food! The email should be sent to 
> > >> fdadockets@oc.fda.gov, and the subject line MUST be Docket No. 
> > >> 2003F-0088.
> > >> 
> > >> -------
> > >> 
> > >> Sample letter
> > >> 
> > >> Re:  Docket No. 2003F-0088 - "Irradiation in the Production, 
> > >> Processing, and Handling of Food" To Whom It May Concern:
> > >> 
> > >> I am writing to object to your decision to amend the food 
> > >> additive regulations to establish a new maximum permitted energy 
> > >> level for
> x-rays
> > >> used to irradiate food.  Specifically, I urge the FDA to conduct 
> > >> the necessary studies to determine what chemical, physical, and 
> > >> other changes such a change in energy level will cause in food.
> > >> 
> > >> I also object to the agency's decision to allow this change 
> > >> knowing that some amount of radioactivity could be created in 
> > >> food treated
with
> > >> 7.5 MeV.  It is unacceptable for consumers to be asked to 
> > >> tolerate
any
> > >> amount of radioactivity caused by a food treatment such as
irradiation.
> > >> 
> > >> 
> > >> A public hearing should be conducted on this matter, so that the
public
> > >> can raise concerns about this change with the agency.
> > >> 
> > >> Sincerely,
> > >> 
> > >> 
> > >> 
> > >> ***
> > >> Audrey Hill
> > >> Organizer
> > >> Public Citizen
> > >> 215 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE
> > >> Washington, DC 20003
> > >> (202) 454-5185
> > >> 
> > >> ********************************************************
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> Public
> > >> Fund Action Alert list.
> > >> To be removed from this list, please reply with 'remove' in the
> subject
> > >> line.
> > >> www.gracepublicfund.org
> > >> 
> > >>
>
>