The Electron Beam Food Research Facility opening late this spring at Texas A&M University in College Station weds commercial marketing research with studies on food irradiation.
Electrons from two accelerators will zap food from above and below as it passes on a conveyor belt. To penetrate more than about 15 centimeters, the facility also has an x-ray source, but no radioactive isotopes. Irradiation breaks molecular bonds, killing bacteria, insects, insect eggs, and larvae, and extending food shelf life.
Irradiation also breaks molecular bonds in the food itself and forms chemicals that don’t naturally exist in food. The watchdog group Public Interest—which has sent letters protesting Texas A&M’s new facility—and other opponents of food irradiation cite studies showing decreased vitamin content and dangerous and unstudied byproducts in the food. Not surprisingly, supporters say food irradiation is safe. “We do not care if the DNA in hamburger is broken up into sections,”...
