truth in labeling

okay, i don't care so much *what* you buy, be it organic, from chile, etc, so much as i care that you *know* what you are buying. i'm all about labeling. everything you buy should be labeled to death. apparently in europe you can look up the code on that little sticker on the produce you buy, see what farm its from, and what applications of pesticide/ fertilizer were used (okay, this is all anecdotal info from a guy i worked with. i've never actually tried it). this is the sort of thing i advocate for the u.s.

so in that spirit, i post this message from food and water watch regarding accuracy in labeling for irradiated food. not that i'm against irradiation (though actually i am), but let's not mince words--call it what it is.

For years, the irradiation industry has had a problem convincing consumers to buy irradiated food. The industry solution? Don't tell them it's irradiated.

Right now, food treated with ionizing radiation must be labeled as "Treated with irradiation" or "Treated by radiation." The irradiation industry wants to label these foods as "electronically pasteurized" or "cold pasteurized," which is misleading.

In 2002, Congress passed the Farm Bill that contained several provisions designed to weaken the rules for how irradiated food are labeled, allowing the word "pasteurized" to be used. Now, the FDA is considering a rule that would allow the use of the term "pasteurized" on some types of irradiated food and not require any labeling on others.

Tell the FDA not to weaken the rules for labeling irradiated food!


Thank you,
Audrey Hill
Food & Water Watch