EDUCATE, THEN IRRADIATE, PANEL TOLD

RUSSELL SHAW

ATLANTA -- If you are thinking about selling irradiated chicken, it is essential to educate your consumers and your employees about the pathogen-killing benefits of the technology.

So advised a retailer and a consumer affairs specialist during a panel discussion on food irradiation at the 1995 International Poultry Exposition earlier this month.

"Anyone who tells you that consumers are inherently opposed to food irradiation -- that wasn't our experience. They weren't in favor of it, but they wanted to know more," said James Corrigan, president of Carrot Top, a fresh foods supermarket in Glenview, Ill. Carrot Top has been selling irradiated poultry from Food Technology Services, formerly Vindicator Inc., Plant City, Fla., since 1992.

Corrigan said that after a contract was signed with Vindicator distributor Nation's Pride in 1991, an article seeking customer input appeared in Carrot Top's newsletter, which goes out periodically to more than 4,000 regular shoppers. The following year, additional stories appeared.

"We introduced the subject of food irradiation, presenting the science and data behind it. Then we announced when we would bring the product in," he added.

During that period, Food & Water, an advocacy group based in Marshfield, Vt., stepped up its intensive public relations campaign against irradiated foods. In several press releases, it blasted Vindicator's product as "zapped chicken."

Corrigan had what for some would be a surprising reaction. He liked the name, incorporating the ecologically incorrect term in his signs and advertising. The product was depicted with a picture of a chicken being struck by lightning bolts.

"Humor is important. It's interesting to sit around and talk about a subject scientifically, but hard to keep customers' attention. But referring to our chicken as 'zapped' is a simple, easy way to get things across," Corrigan said.

Corrigan added that sales of chicken have gone up a total of 75% since the Vindicator line was added. Carrot Top no longer carries "unirradiated" chicken.

Supermarkets also need to stress employee education, according to seminar speaker Christine Bruhn, Ph.D., a food marketing specialist at the University of California-Davis.

"Your staff will need to know what is going on. You should have someone identified in the store who is knowledgeable about this technology and can answer questions. There's also a lot of background literature available from the U.S. Department of Agriculture that can be distributed to customers," she said.

Food & Water's executive director Michael Colby indicated that if a supermarket is thinking about adding irradiated poultry, it can expect input from his group, which claims a constituency of more than 100,000 "sympathizers."

"We encourage folks to talk to their supermarkets. When they are not responsive, we have to up the ante in terms of peaceful kinds of communication, like radio ads," said Colby.

But Frank Frase, vice president of market development for irradiation-services vendor Nordion International, Kanata, Ontario, firmly believes right is on his side.

"Irradiation technology has proven effective, safe and economical. If the industry wants to retain this option and if it wants public acceptance to grow, the industry will have to become proactive in terms of coordinated irradiated-product introductions and planned education efforts," he told the conference.