WASHINGTON -- Like the electron beams used to kill harmful bacteria on food, the subject of irradiation is emitting a lot of power in the form of public comments, as the federal government tries to issue final regulations that will allow companies to begin treating raw ground beef.
The volume of opinions on irradiation is so large that the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the agency preparing the final rule, has extended the comment period until this Thursday, June 17.
The USDA has been accepting opinions for an additional two weeks, even though the official comment period closed April 28. The decision appeared in the Federal Register published on June 2, said a spokesperson for the agency's Food Safety and Inspection Service.
"There's been quite an overwhelming response and great interest in the proposal; that includes various trade and consumer groups, and consumers themselves," said Barbara O'Brien, spokesperson.
During irradiation, food is passed briefly under gamma rays before it is packaged. The food itself does not become radioactive, but the electrons kill most bacteria, including E. coli and Listeria monocytogenes, two of the deadliest pathogens that live in ground beef.
The majority of consumers want irradiated red meat to be clearly labeled so shoppers know what they are purchasing, according to earlier surveys, though there is widespread support for the procedure.
O'Brien could not estimate the number of responses to date, though a published report stated more than 700 consumers have shared their opinions with regulators via letter, fax and e-mail.
While this number is dwarfed by the more than 200,000 responses received several years ago when the USDA solicited public comment on setting organic food regulations, O'Brien said the interest in irradiation still was keen.
"Sometimes organizations affected by a rule encourage members to write their own letters and send them to us," she noted, referring to the high number of responses from shoppers.
According to a survey cited in April by the Center for Science in the Public Interest and the American Association of Retired Persons, there is "overwhelming support" for labeling of irradiated red meat. Of the 1,000 persons polled, a majority want to see the word "irradiation" on the product.
The meat industry has been fighting for less controversial wording, such as "cold pasteurized," arguing that consumers not educated about the process could overreact to the appearance of something like "irradiated." At the very least, they're fighting for the inclusion of a clarifying phrase, such as "irradiated to kill E. coli" or "irradiated for your protection."
Beside the actual wording, regulators are debating whether to mandate use of the radura, the universal symbol of radiation. Here, the industry fears that shoppers may misinterpret the symbol as a warning. O'Brien said once the comment period ends, officials will have to sort through all the comments before issuing the final rule.
"There's a lot of interest in irradiation in general, and the USDA wants to move on it as quickly as possible," said O'Brien. "But the volume and the complexity of the responses we're receiving will require some time to categorize."
Several companies are already ready for the final rule, and have been developing plans to test-market irradiated beef as soon as the USDA guidelines are handed down.
