ABSTRACT

One of the most difficult concepts for consumers to accept is degrees of risk. The determination of food safety requires proof of a highly likely reality that the food in question will not cause consumers harm. Foodborne diseases are probably one of the greatest causes of deaths or diminished lives for immunocompromised and AIDS victims. In the United States, there finally appears to be a light at the end of the tunnel. The first commercial facility expressly designed for the purpose of irradiating foods opened its doors in January 1992. Food and Water’s efforts to discourage consumers from purchasing irradiated strawberries included the charade of parading around in gas masks, presumably to ward off the effects of irradiation. The scientific community has declared that food irradiation is a safe, practical and convenient method for preserving a wide variety of foods and decreasing their risk of spreading disease.