Table of Contents

Preface to the Second Edition — Preface to the First Edition — Introduction — 1. Foocl Irradiation — What Is Irradiation? — Radioactivity — How Is It Similar to Other Processes? — In What Way Does Irradiation Affect Foods? — Radiation Units — A Short History of Food Irradiation — 2. Pasteurization — The Early Work — Commercial Pasteurization — Pasteurization Finally Succeeds — Some Countries Still Do Not Have Pasteurized Milk — The Relationship between Pastewuation and Food Irradiation — Irradiated Milk — 3. Fooclbome Diseases — Perception of the Problem — Terminology — Our Awareness of Foodbome Disease — Bacterial Diseases — Mold Diseases — Viruses — Parasites — The Costs of Foodborne Disease — 4. The UN of Irradiation to Prevent the Spread of Fooclborne Diseases — Why Use Food Irradiation? — The Poultry Industry — Spices — 5. The Prevention of Food Losses after Harvesting — The Extent of Losses — Causes of Losses — The Need for Insect Quarantine — Control of Sprouting and Germination — Shelf Life Extension of Perishable Foods — Delaying Ripening and Aging of Fruits and 'getables — Magnitude of Losses — 6. Advocacy Oblectlon1 to Food Irradiation — Food Irradiation Complaint List — Food Irradiation Will Be Used to Mask Spoiled Food — Food Irradiation Will Discomage Strict Adherence to Good Manufacturing Practices — Food Irradiation Will Preferentially Kill ''Good'' — Bacteria and Thus Encomage Greater GrowthofBad Bacteria — Irradiated Foods Are DevitaJiud and Denatured — Irradiated Foods Are Unnecessary in Today's Food System — Food Irradiation Impairs the Flavor of Foods — Food Irradiation Fails to Destroy Bacterial Toxins in Foods — Irradiated Food May Be Radioactive — Irradiation Brings about Harmful Chemical Changes in Foods — Irradiated Foods Can Cause Genetic Mutations — Polyploidy — The Food Irradiation Issue Needs a Properly Referenced Scientific Report — The Lack of Difference between lrradialed and Nonirradiated Foods Will Encourage Abuses — There Is No Satisfactoiy Tust for Irradiated Foods — Irradiation in Combination with Other Processes Will Reduce the Nutritive Value of Foods — Irradiated Foods Will Not Be Properly Labeled — Food Irradiation Is Dangerous to Workers and Will Cause Environmental Damage — 7. Irradiated Foods and the Consumer — Consumer Reaction to Irradiated Foods — Who Pennits Freedom of Choice for Consumers? — Influences upon Decision Makers — Positive Consumer Action — Legislation — Market Choices — Consumer Information — The Media — 8. Irradiation and the Food Industry — A Different Attitude towards Food Irradiation — Risk versus Benefit — Irradiated Food Liabilities — Irradiated Food Advantages — Future Applications — 9. Some Flnal Thoughts — A WorldFreeofRisk — A Light at the End of the Tunnel — A Free and Informed Choice — References — Index — About the Author.