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Indybay Feature

FDA Decision to Expand Food Irradiation Masks Weak Import Inspections

by Wenonah Hauter, Food & Water Watch
Washington, D.C. – “Today’s announcement by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approving the use of ionizing radiation as a food safety measure for crustaceans continues to show how inadequate the FDA food inspection system is, especially for imported foods. Food & Water Watch continues to harbor concerns about the safety of foods treated with radiation, but irradiation continues to be used as a crutch by FDA as a substitute for hiring more inspection personnel and investing in a robust laboratory system that would prevent unsafe seafood from entering the marketplace.
“We import over 80% of our seafood, and much of that comes from countries in Asia, such as the People’s Republic of China, that raise their seafood in squalid conditions. The expansion of irradiation to cover more seafood products will allow those countries to continue to raise their seafood products in filthy and unsanitary factory fish farms since irradiation will be used as the ‘magic bullet’ to make the products safe to eat from microbiological contaminants.

“We also view today’s announcement as one being tied to the negotiations of the new Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement where we will see a further expansion of imported seafood from Asia and a weakening of our food safety requirements for imported food products.”


http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/pressreleases/fda-decision-to-expand-food-irradiation-masks-weak-import-inspections/
Add Your Comments

Comments (Hide Comments)
by anon
Well, hey, they could charge a premium for pre-irridated Pacific seafood from Fukushima. Watch them spin a baddie into a goodie. It's the capitalist way. Although I don't know who they are going to sell to when everyone is glowing in the dark or dead.
by Beeline
I reckon about all the sea food from the Pacific has already been irradiated by the nuclear power plant melt down in Japan. Scientists say that the radiation from Fukishima will maximize off the California coast in 2016.

So no need to radiate Pacific sea food. It's already been done.
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