BOSTON, Aug. 19 — The vast majority of the scientific and medical community, including the World Health Organization, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, agree that irradiation of food is a safe way to reduce or eliminate harmful bacteria. Despite this resounding endorsement, consumers have been slow to accept irradiated food products. Meanwhile, researchers continue to investigate the practice.
A two-day symposium, entitled "Food Irradiation and Packaging for Irradiated Food, " will examine several areas related to irradiation, including:
The symposium, which includes presentations by scientists from Canada, France, Germany, Greece, Japan and the United States, is part of the weeklong meeting of the American Chemical Society, the world's largest scientific society.
Highlights include: