USA: No question regarding safety of food irradiation

Clarifying a statement issued yesterday regarding a partnership between Ion-Beam Applications and the Agricultural Research Service, Pat Adams, President of IBA's Food Safety Division made the following comments:"There is no question regarding the safety of food irradiation. It is the most tested technology in the history of the food industry. Over 40 years of research studies have revealed no harmful effects on human health. Food irradiation is approved by the Food and Drug Administration and the USDA's Food Safety Inspection Service and used in almost 40 countries across the world. It is endorsed by the World Health Organization, the American Medical Association, the American Dietetic Association, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, among others."IBA has entered into a partnership with ARS to compare the attributes -- not the safety -- of the different technologies now available. There is no need to test the safety of irradiation. That has already been done."