The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) USA now allows for the use of irradiation (also called ionizing radiation) on fresh iceberg lettuce and fresh spinach. The FDA reports that by allowing iceberg lettuce and spinach to be irradiated it will make the food safer and increase shelf longevity. The FDA describes irradiation as, ‘… a process of treating products with a measured dose of radiation’.
The use of irradiation on foods in the USA is nothing new. Fresh and frozen red meat (beef, lamb and pork) has been approved for irradiation since 1997, and the FDA also allows for the irradiation of spices, vegetable seasonings, dry enzymes used in food processing, poultry, and molluscan shellfish (such as oysters, clams, mussels, and scallops).
Under the new regulations, fresh iceberg lettuce and spinach can be irradiated to an absorbed dose of 4.0 kGy. Although considered a relatively low dosage (but high enough to kill bacteria and pathogens) and considered ‘safe’ by the FDA, many food advocacy groups are concerned about the effects of the radiation on the nutritional value of the food and long-term build-up of radiation in the body.
The inclusion of fresh iceberg lettuce and spinach in the list of irradiated foods is seen as a reaction to the increase in Salmonella and Escherichia coli O157:H7 (E. coli) related infections in the USA. Currently, the use of radiation with lettuce and spinach is voluntary and irradiated foods must carry the ‘radura’ logo, in addition to the statement ‘Treated with radiation’ or ‘Treated by irradiation’.
Irradiated meats, poultry and spices are only labeled when sold in stores. Irradiated foods sold in restaurants or used as ingredients in others foods do not require labeling.
The FDA is also considering the use of irradiation in other fresh produce such as tomatoes or peppers.
For foods to receive organic certification in the USA, they cannot be produced with irradiation.
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