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Irradiation should be used for meat products to eliminate bacterial pathogens and extend product shelf life, the NCBA said recently in written comments to the Food Safety and Inspection Service. They also encouraged the USDA and FDA to develop standards for the irradiation of "ready-to-eat" meat products, such as deli meats and hot dogs. NCBA also expressed its concern that although the technology can make meat products safer for consumers, marketing is still critical to ensuring that consumers not gain a false sense of security and begin ignoring safe food handling practices. "Irradiation technology can make meat products safer for consumers but it is important that the industry does everything it can to inform consumers that this technology is not bulletproof against foodborne pathogens," said Lynn Kosty, associate director of food policy for NCBA. "Once an irradiated package of meat is opened by a consumer or a food handler, it is once again susceptible to contamination caused by poor food handling practices." NCBA also supports the labeling of irradiated products with the radura sign appearing along with a statement such as "treated by ionizing-pasteurization" or "treated by electron-pasteurization." According to NCBA's comments, it is important to label irradiated products with terms that accurately describe the technology so that consumers understand that the specific products have been treated with irradiation. |
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