What are the risks of irradiation?
A. Nobody has defined a significant risk. Studies have suggested that irradiation of food is safe. There might a little bit of affect on some taste on some foods, but it’s very minimal. There may be a little change in the texture of the food or the appearance, but it’s minimal. When you realize that every large health organization around the world has basically endorsed irradiation as a mechanism of food safety, that speaks volumes to me. None have refused to [endorse irradiation].It’s not the final word. It may not kill every germ, but it greatly reduces [them]. The number of germs determines whether you’re going to get sick if exposed. Just one germ is unlikely to do it. Most people who get food-borne disease, the food has had lots of germs in it. A serving of food that causes food-borne disease might have 10,000 germs in it. You don’t have to see anything for food to have a lot of germs in it. Radiation is a hot-button item, unfortunately. I’m optimistic that we might have breakthro
