Article: FDA: Irradiating spinach, lettuce OK to kill germs

[Guest guest]

You may remember my alerting this list the end of last year about the

USDA's interest in addressing contamination in leafy greens. They

welcomed public comment. There was a risk that they would come up with

a mandatory pasteurization requirement, such as irradiation.

 

Well, it looks like they're going with irradiation. The good news:

it's not mandatory... yet!

 

Be sure to read labels!

 

Jeff

 

 

FDA: Irradiating spinach, lettuce OK to kill germs

 

By Lauran Neergaard, AP Medical Writer

Thu, Aug. 21, 2008

 

WASHINGTON -- Consumers worried about salad safety may soon be able to

buy fresh spinach and iceberg lettuce zapped with just enough

radiation to kill E. coli and a few other germs.

 

The Food and Drug Administration on Friday will issue a regulation

allowing spinach and lettuce sellers to take that extra step, a long-

awaited move amid increasing outbreaks from raw produce.

 

Full story:

http://www.kentucky.com/473/story/497253.html