There are many different sources from which food comes from, however, the
main source of food is farms. In
the field of farming there are many different types of farms including fruit and
vegetable farms, poultry farms, dairy farms, aquaculture farms, and grain farms.
These different types of farms provide a variety of food from meat to
grains. Farming is done where the
natural environment is suitable for the specific type of food production.
Farm products are no longer directly consumable goods. The raw farm goods are factory processed, packaged, and
merchandised. For example, wheat is
shipped long distances to flour mills, then to mass-production bakeries, and
then to retail locations. During
this process a lot can happen to food such as irradiation, pasteurization or
numerous other food processes. Some
of these processes improve the safety and quality of merchandised food, however,
there are some processes that are used on the behalf of the food industry not
citizen food safety (Farms and Farming, pgs. 1-2).
Irradiation is a threat to the basic human need of food and food supplies. Many major companies such as Phillip Morris-Kraft and Del Monte Foods are starting to sell irradiated products. Irradiation doubles or triples the shelf life of food products, kills invasive insects on fruits and vegetable, and masks the contamination that is the result of industrialized meant production. Irradiation allows companies to take advantage of the third world where labor is cheap and agricultural chemicals are not regulated by allowing food to be shipped farther. One of the main users of irradiation is the meat industry. The meat industry uses irradiation as a way to kill bacteria which remains on meat as the result of filth and unsanitary practices at factory farms and slaughterhouse facilities. As the result of filthy conditions at slaughterhouses meat usually becomes contaminated with feces, pus, and vomit. Irradiation masks these deadly bacteria’s; it does not kill the bacteria.
Food irradiation has a long and complex history that began well before 1963 when can packed bacon was approved and then later removed. Irradiation has nuclear roots. Food irradiation was on e of the nuclear technologies that originated from Dwight Eisenhower’s Atom for Peace Program. The Food and Drug Administration relied on five of more than four hundred and forty one studies to legalize irradiation. In two of the five studies, the doses of radiation were substantially below what the FDA approved and what’s currently being used making those two studies useless. Two were methodologically flawed, and in one the animals experienced serious side effects caused by radiation. Most of the research done in the 1960’s and 1970’s was done by an army hired firm that later was convicted of fraud for fabricating the results of its work which was used to support their decision. Of the four hundred and forty one studies submitted, only thirty-two studies portrayed food irradiation as safe. The other four hundred and nine experiments deemed food irradiation unsafe (Is Irradiated Food Safe, pg. 1).
The process of irradiation kills some
food borne illnesses and can present many health problems.
Electron radiation breaks up the
bacteria’s DNA making it impossible
for bacteria to continue reproducing (ISU, pg. 1).
However, irradiation also changes the chemical structure of food and can
release toxic chemicals into food. There
are many different types of food that are irradiated.
They are meat especially beef, fruits and vegetables, eggs, seeds, and
cooking spices. Food can be
irradiated three different ways, gamma rays, the electron beam, and x-rays.
Irradiation can pose a large danger to human health if it is consumed. Irradiated food has caused many health problems in laboratory test animals and humans. These problems can include chromosomal damage, immune and reproductive problems, kidney damage, tumors, internal bleeding, low birth weight, and nutritional muscular dystrophy. Irradiation also leads to the formation of Unique Radiolytic Products which are chemicals that have not been extensively studied. These products form free radicals which means they set off chain reactions in the body that can destroy antioxidants, tear apart cell membranes, cause cancer, diabetes, heart disease, liver damage, muscular breakdown and other health problems. Irradiation can also lead to the formation of carcinogens, benzene, formaldehyde, octane, butane, and methyl propane in certain foods. All of these are highly toxic chemicals which are considered poison to humans (Food Irradiation Q&A’s, pg. 1).
Irradiation also can spawn forms of E.
coli, salmonella, and other harmful bacteria in a form that makes them extremely
hard to kill. Irradiation 
also
destroys vitamins, nutrients, and essential fatty acids.
This includes up to ninety five percent of vitamin A, and eight six
percent of vitamin B to name a few. In
some cases radiation causes cooked foods to lose all vitamin content.
Essential amino acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids are depleted as
well (Is Irradiated Food Safe, pg. 1). Irradiation
also kills helpful organisms such as yeasts and molds that keep botulism down
and can kill the bacteria that produce aromas when food goes bad (Food
Irradiation Q&A’s, pg 1).
Irradiation facilities also pose a
serious threat to the workers, neighbors, and the environment.
Food irradiation proponents have often said that irradiation facilities
are safe. They said that accidents
and deaths are very rare. However,
history says otherwise. Since the
1960’s radioactive water has been flushed down toilets into the public sewer
system. 
Radioactive waste has been
thrown in the garbage. Radiation
has leaked. Equipment has caught on
fire and malfunctioned. Workers
have lost fingers, hands, legs, and in some cases their lives.
Company executives have been charged with numerous cover-ups and
conspiracies that have put the public at risk (The Dangers of Irradiation
Facilities, pg. 1). Many workers
around the world have been exposed to fatal or near fatal doses of radiation at
numerous different facilities. There
have been over sixty accidents reported in the United States of injuries or
deaths to facility workers (Food Irradiation Q&A’s, pg. 2).
There are many safe alternatives to using irradiated food. Some solutions include education, laws, and research. Education is one solution. In order for any solution to even be proposed the public must speak out against irradiation. Currently, most of the general public is uneasy with irradiation and does not accept it as a safe technology. If irradiation is accepted as a safe technology then companies will continue to use irradiation. However, if large amounts of people speak out against irradiation companies will have to find other solutions to these problems. Making the true facts about irradiation known could be done a number of ways. Classes could be held, pamphlets could be mailed home, and posters could be put up in all food stores selling irradiated food. It would be important, however, that people receive all the information and true information, not propaganda from pro- irradiation companies. If people were educated correctly this would be the first major step towards finding and forcing companies and the government to take notice of the situation and start finding solutions.
If the public speaks out against irradiation there are a number of solutions that could be investigated. One could be banning irradiation in the United States and banning the importation of irradiated food products until more research is done. Most of the research for food irradiation was done over twenty years ago without the benefit of modern technology. This would provide the government with much more accurate information about the safety of food irradiation. Since its long term effects are still unknown it would be safer to ban this process rather than risk citizen safety and health.
Irradiation
was introduced to the commercial food industry mostly on company behalf not on
citizen behalf. Although it kills
some harmful bacteria there are many safer ways to kill the same bacteria.
Irradiation, however, was introduced because it was much easier and
quicker than the other safer
options. Irradiation
allows companies to produce food quickly and increase their global reach.
Much of the reason meat becomes so infected with harmful bacteria is from
the slaughter process. In order to
produce food quickly companies may be more motivated by speed than by safety.
These practices result in more harmful bacteria infecting the meat.
Introducing new laws and strengthening security around slaughterhouses
could prevent the need for the meat to be treated as much afterwards.
This could prevent companies from “cheating” on their own behalf.
This would be a significant step towards a solution.
Less toxic and harsh solutions would be needed if there were less
bacteria present. There are also
several other solutions that can be used. Feeding
animals hay for five days before they are slaughtered will prevent E. coli.
This is a simple and safe solution.
There is also a new steam treatment that eliminates ninety nine point
nine percent of listeria in processed meats.
Both of these solutions are simple, safe, and non-toxic, however
companies would not be able to move as quickly.
Taking precautionary steps like this could easily prevent the need for
such harsh technology. Although
companies could not produce food as quickly it would greatly increase food
safety.