Food Irradiation: What You Need To KnowWe expect a standard of quality and nature in organic. Where does food irradiation fit into our food supply? Irradiation of food is when the food is exposed deliberately to a controlled amount of radiation. That's right. I did say, radiation. I can recall when my Dad first heard about radiating food. Now, my father is an old world farmer. He always liked things basic and simple. Dad said they worked best that way. If you complicate a simple thing you just have added more parts that can go wrong. Dad said "We know the damage radiation can do to man. Why would we want to radiate our own food?" Since then, both Canada and the US regulate food irradiation as a processing method to preserve food. Naturally, our governments would never permit an unsafe practice. In fact, both governments have research backing up its safety. Impressive... The US allows this process in:
Canada currently permits irradiation in:
Health Canada is proposing to expand the allowable foods to include:
Products that are wholly irradiated must have the international radiation symbol on them and must also state something like "treated with irradiation". If an ingredient is treated and it is more than 10% of the product, the label must say that the ingredient is irradiated. If the ingredient is less than 10%, then there is no labeling requirement. American restaurants are not required to inform you at all. When describing irradiation, Health Canada says on their website: Hey, wait a minute here. Don't we get the best benefit from eating healthy living food? Potatoes and onions are radiated so that they don't sprout. Isn't a sprouting potato alive and doing well? How can this be just as healthy and nutritious as a living growing potato? But alas, our governments claim that it is. Then flour is radiated so that it won't get infested with pests. Sounds reasonable enough. I hate having to throw out flour. But, not so fast. Let's take another look... Ask yourself "Why would I eat something that the bugs have figured out isn't good enough for them?" Doesn't that kind of reverse the intelligence line of species? Evidently, if we were just educated enough we would see the benefit of irradiation. Our governments have decided to permit this process based on the facts they have. And also based on their responsibilities to the people, the producers, the growers. And whom ever else! On the other hand, you need only concern yourself with what is best for your family. Choose living and healthy food.
Organics provides that without the worry of irradiation.
Will organic food ever undergo food irradiation? Dr. Laibow discusses this issue in this
video explaining CODEX.
(Scroll down to bottom of page for video.) 
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