Susan Meeker-Lowry

About the author: Susan Meeker-Lowry is the author of Economics As If the Earth Really Mattered and Invested in the Common Good.

Irradiation is a misguided approach to food safety because it creates health problems, including cancer and kidney damage, and does not guarantee uncontaminated food. The workers at irradiation plants are especially at risk because of potential exposure to high doses of radiation. Irradiation is also dangerous because it can kill the foul-smelling molds and yeasts that indicate spoiled food, while leaving harmful bacteria in that food untouched. The solution to food-borne illnesses is to improve the conditions at packing plants and slaughterhouses, rather than to rely on irradiation.

If the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the nuclear industry, and the food industry have their way, nuking food to kill bacteria like...