Food irradiation is another tool to increase corporate control and monopoly over the world’s food supply, thus exacerbating the already unsustainable global food and agriculture trading system that prioritizes profits over people. Global Agriculture groups are calling for a global ban on food irradiation.

Food Irradiation Puts at Risk the Health and Safety of Unsuspecting Consumers

Irradiation destroys vitamins – up to 90% of vitamin A in chicken, 86% of vitamin B in oats, and 70% of vitamin C in fruit juice. As shelf life increases, more nutrients are lost. Irradiation also produces new compounds in food that have been linked to tumor development and genetic damage. And, 50 years of research has shown serious health problems in lab animals that ate irradiated foods – including premature death, mutations, nutritional deficiencies, reproductive problems, fatal internal bleeding, suppressed immune systems and stunted growth.

Irradiated food has not been proven to be safe; in fact, research still shows correlation between irradiated food and serious maladies. It is for the industry to prove that it is safe before it should be used.

Food Irradiation is Linked to Serious Environmental Problems
First, irradiation facilities that function with radioactive cobalt-60 or cesium-137 threaten workers and communities with radioactive leaks and accidents.

Second, radioactive materials used in these facilities are transported long distances, increasing the risk of radioactive accidents that would damage local ecosystems and threaten public health. The material in nuclear food irradiators is also widely considered as a potential source for “dirty bombs” that can be used by terrorists.

Food irradiation also sacrifices ecological sustainability by encouraging delocalisation of food production, wasteful and costly transportation of food, and mass production. In fact, by increasing policies for unnecessary processing, the food industry is making it more difficult for small farmers and farming communities to access the markets at fair prices and hurting local food security.

Various international food and agricultural watch groups (see list below) are demanding the end of food irradiation. Specific demands include
􀂾National legislation banning food irradiation;
􀂾Labelling all irradiated products until such time as a ban has been passed. People have the right to know whether their food has been exposed to radiation;
􀂾A global halt on constructing new irradiation facilities (and decommissioning those that currently exist);
􀂾Encouraging sustainable food production. This involves both ecological and social sustainability – such as conserving environments and diverse ecosystems; respecting indigenous and local land-management and food-production systems; promoting local consumption of local produce; and promoting energy minimalisation in food production. Sustainable production affirms that access to healthy and wholesome food is the right of all people and of future generations.

For more information, please Contact Morgan Ody, Public Citizen Europe, tel: +32 22 18 22 42, mody@citizen.org • www.foodactivist.org

International groups demanding this ban include:
Active Consumers Denmark (Denmark)
Alliance of Social and Ethical Consumer Organisations – ASECO (Europe)
Association pour l’Information sur la Dénaturation des Aliments et la Santé –AIDAS (France)
Coordination Paysanne Européenne – CPE (Europe)
Food Irradiation Watch (Australia)
GRAPPE (Belgium)
MDRGF (France)
MODEF (France)
Mouvement d’Action Paysanne – MAP (Belgium)
Movimento dei Consumatori (Italy)
Nature et Progrès (France)
No Cobalt-4-Food (Pennsylvania USA)
Organic Consumers Association (USA)
Physicians For Life (USA)
Public Citizen (USA)
Réseau Sortir du Nucléaire (France)
Sveriges Konsumenter i Samverkan / Swedish Consumer Coalition (Sweden)
California Food and Justice Coalition (USA)
Center for Informed Food Choices
World Prout Assembly
Global Resource Action Center for the Environment (USA)
Northeast Organic Farming Association of New York (USA)
LOKOJ Institute (Bangladesh)
Nukewatch
Redwood Alliance
Small Potatoes Gleaning Project
Cancer Awareness Coalition., Inc. (USA)
Cheektowaga Citizens Coalition, Inc. (USA)
Nuclear Free Okanogan (USA)

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