Take Action on Food Irradiation!
We don't have to eat irradiated food. Well informed consumers worldwide are rejecting the techology in the marketplace.
The most important action you can take is writing to your favourite brands and supermarkets urging them to write an irradiation-free policy. You can view a sample letter here
The Australian Food and Grocery Council is a food industry advocacy body that determines policy for it's member organisations whihc include many big name brands, chain stores and food producers. It's important to let them know how you feel about consuming irradiated foods. A sample letter to the AFGC is here
Food Standards Australia New Zealand are the body governing the application of food irradiation in Australia and New Zealand. You can write to them with your concerns about labelling and policiing of the Food Standards Code. A sample letter is here
"We are very concerned that some governments including the Australian government are considering making irradiation the only permitted quarantine requirement for imports and exports to some types of food - notably tropical fruits. This would see the end of trade in certified organic products.
The recent approval of irradiation for tropical fruits may soon see irradiated genetically engineered papayas imported from Hawaii.
Proponents of food irradiation state that the practice is safer than using pesticides to kill pests and diseases in food. However the "unique radiolytic compounds", benzenes, ketones and free radicals created by irradiation adversely affect significant areas of the human body. Organics offers a wholesome, sustainable, and economically viable alternative to genetic engineering and preservative, pesticidesa and irradiation - using food production."
- Andre Leu is a tropical fruit farmer and chair of the Organic Federation of Australia.