In a statement addressed to the US government, consumer body Public Citizen has again made criticisms about the approval of irradiated meats, this time targeting treated meat that is currently being offered to school children.

In the statement, Public Citizen said: "In permitting school districts to purchase irradiated meat for the National School Lunch Programme, the Bush administration is bowing to the interests of the meat industry. We have seen repeatedly this administration serving its corporate contributors, not the public, and this is yet another example."

Up until now, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) had expressly prohibited the purchase of irradiated foods for the programme. However, on 24 October this year, the American Meat Institute sent the USDA a letter urging the department to drop its prohibition on irradiated meat for the lunch programme. According to Public Citizen the ban was lifted the next day.

Over the years, Public Citizen has been arguing against the use of irradiation to treat meat and other fresh food products, stating that there has so far been insufficient research into its long term effects. However, faced with a growing problem of food safety, and in recent months a growing number of high profile food poisonings, the US government has been increasing its backing of irradiation as a means of increasing food safety.

The two biggest players in the US food irradiation industry, Surebeam and Food Technology, have experienced huge increases in sales in recent months, as demand for their services grows.

The growth of the industry in the US will be keenly observed in Europe, where the European Commission has banned the use of irradiation on all foods except dried herbs and spices. In Europe, consumer groups and environmental groups such as Greenpeace hold even more power over public opinion.

However, in the wake of several equally large food safety squares, many food industry experts and government figures are starting to ask for the ban to be lifted on irradiated foods. Such figures claim that the growing body of research into irradiated foods proves that it is a safe and effective means of preventing food bacteria such as E. coli, one of the most common and widespread causes of food poisoning.

Meanwhile, back in the US, Public Citizen said that the announcement by the US government to supply foods with irradiated food was not surprising given the clout the meat industry has with this administration. The body claims that the Bush campaign received more than $2.6 million (€2.7m) in contributions from agricultural corporations, which includes the meat industry.

Whether or not the tide is set to turn for the food irradiation industry in Europe is uncertain, but one thing is clear: the battle the industry faces here looks certain to be an even tougher one.