P.J. Skerrett

About the author: P.J. Skerrett is a freelance writer who has co-authored books on health and the environment.

Irradiation, the use of gamma rays, x-rays, or electron beams to kill harmful organisms in meat, produce, grains, and spices, is an effective way of improving the safety of America's food supply. Despite the fact that food irradiation is beneficial and does not pose health risks, it has yet to become widely used. The high costs of irradiation are one reason, but the main impediment to its use are environmental organizations, such as Food and Water, which use scare tactics and inaccurate arguments in an effort to frighten and intimidate the public and corporations. However, consumers have responded favorably to irradiated food when it has been commercially available, which suggests that the method may become more...