The letter from Jennifer Ferrara, associate director of Food & Water Inc. (Voice, Sept. 9) paints a very scary picture of radiation technology and its products.
Radiation technology, since its introduction more than 40 years ago, has grown to become a more than $10 billion a year industry. Contrary to the impression left by Ms. Ferrara, the technology can be operated with safety for the operators and the surrounding communities. It has been shown to be effective in preserving certain foods for significant periods of time.
All methods of preserving and preparing foods cause chemical changes in the food. This is true whether one refers to pickling, curing by salt, smoking, etc. Indeed, for the past 35 years we have used a form of irradiation to prepare our foods. It is called microwave cooking. Foods prepared by microwave cooking undergo different chemical reactions than foods prepared by heating. This technology has been widely accepted by the public despite some early claims about the alleged dangers of microwaves. The public should not be denied the opportunity to enjoy the benefits of this technology.
