Further evidence that irradiated food is burgeoning in the US came this week when a leading national supermarket chain announced that it would begin stocking irradiated ground beef and poultry.
Publix, which is one of the 10 largest volume supermarket chains in the United States, will offer irradiated frozen ground beef and chicken early next year. Irradiated ground beef patties, boneless chicken breasts and chicken tenders will be offered at all 711 Publix stores. In addition to these frozen items, Publix is also considering offering fresh products, such as fruit and vegetables, in the future.
"Publix is known for the quality of its stores and the products it offers," said Richard Hunter, president of FTSI, the company which supplying the irradiated beef.
"Our decision to provide customers with the option of purchasing irradiated products as another line of defence against foodborne illness is further evidence of our commitment to food safety."
Food irradiation providers have been waging a battle against environmental groups in recent years, trying to convince consumers that it is a safe and effective technology for the treatment of food. The campaign is supported by the American Medical Association, the American Dietetic Association, the World Health Organisation, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and numerous other public health organisations.
Although irradiated food now seems to be increasing in popularity in the US, it is still a very different story in Europe. There, only one category of food, dried herbs and vegetables, is approved by the EU for irradiation. Although individual laws do vary from country to country, France allowing far more irradiated foods to be sold than the UK or Germany for example, all future rulings will be enforced by the EU. Thus far, powerful environmental lobby groups have stopped any further categories from being approved.
Food Technology Service, orFTSI, began operating in 1992, making it the most experienced food irradiation company in the US. The firm's process allows irradiation of a large variety of fresh and frozen meat including chicken, ground beef, pork and turkeys.
