Attacks on irradiation misplaced, say food organizations

Public Citizen charged that the Federal Drug Administration has not used adequate science in approving irradiation on a variety of foods. GMA and NFPA cited more than 50 years of scientific evidence supporting the safety and efficacy of irradiation. NFPA also noted that proposed changes to labels of irradiated products are designed to ensure that consumers stop perceiving such labels as warnings. NFPA emphasizes the importance of labeling, noting that as long as manufacturers believe consumers are being warned, they are unlikely to use irradiation.