Just Say NO to the Irradiation of Supplements!

[Guest guest]

Just Say " NO " to the Irradiation of Supplements!

 

Washington, D.C., December 18, 2007

 

Citizens for Health has joined with the American Herbal Products

Association to oppose the irradiation of dietary supplements

 

*

Proper handling of dietary supplements under current good

manufacturing practice is usually sufficient to ensure that they are

not subject to microbial contamination that presents any risk to the

health of consumers of these products

*

If approved, the use of ionizing irradiation on herbal dietary

ingredients will mask one of the factors that is currently relevant to

the determination of ingredient quality, since information about

microbial levels and the presence of pathogens or yeasts and molds at

any time during the handling of a treated ingredient would be lost. Of

particular concern are pathogens, since even if pathogenic organisms

are eliminated through irradiation, pathogenic by-products such as

endotoxins or exotoxins may remain in the material

*

Irradiation is currently allowed in the United States for eleven

food categories, and in proposing that the limitation of ionizing

radiation for dietary supplements be established at 30 kGy, the

petition is suggesting that this limit be from 3 to 30 times higher

that is currently allowed for all but two food categories. Dietary

supplements may be consumed in quantities of several grams per day.

Thus, dietary supplement consumers will be exposed to much higher

levels of any material changes that occur in a supplement's or

ingredient's characteristics or in its consequences of use, if any, as

a result of the irradiation.

 

Send your letter to the FDA now!

 

Remind them that irradiation is unwelcome and unnecessary - dietary

supplements are already safe!