vote No on SF Chron Food irradiation online poll

The Nov. 10 San Francisco Chronicle had a front page article and poll on
food irradiation.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2002/11/10
/MN144543.DTL

VOTE no in their online poll! Right now irradiation opposers are trailing
supporters by 21%!

Also...

On Tuesday, Nov. 6, the Berkeley (California) School Board passed a
resolution prohibiting the use of irradiated foods in any of their Food
Services lunch, breakfast or snack programs.

If you want to read the text of this resolution, or want more info on how
to do this in your local school board, please contact Tracy Lerman
tlerman [at] citizen.org

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tracy Lerman
Senior Organizer
Public Citizen, California Office
1615 Broadway, 9th Floor
Oakland, CA 94612

tlerman [at] citizen.org
510.663.0888 ext. 103
510.663.8569 fax
http://www.citizen.org
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


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Public Citizen and the Center for Food Safety have released a report on
dangerous changes in food (the formation of unique radiolytic compounds)
caused by the lower levels of irradiation currently used on some food
products in the US:

---
"The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has ignored growing evidence
that a new class of chemicals formed when food is irradiated could be
harmful, according to a report released by Public Citizen and the Center
for Food Safety. The groups are urging the FDA to refrain from legalizing
irradiation for any additional types of food until the new chemicals are
tested for safety.

"The chemicals, called cyclobutanones, do not occur naturally anywhere on
Earth. They recently were found to cause genetic damage in rats, and
genetic and cellular damage in human and rat cells. The groups’ report,
Hidden Harm, details how the FDA has ignored this unique class of
chemicals, which are created in many irradiated foods that the agency has
legalized for sale in this country ¾ including beef, pork, chicken, lamb,
eggs, mangoes and papayas. It is expected that cyclobutanones also would be
formed in many other foods the FDA is currently considering to legalize for
irradiation."

http://www.citizen.org/publications/release.cfm?ID=7113
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press release from Public Citizen:
http://www.citizen.org/pressroom/release.cfm?ID=944