Food irradiation has a proven track record as being an additional safeguard for protecting many foods from harmful bacteria. In order to heighten consumer awareness of these benefits, health professionals and other opinion leaders must first effectively communicate the safety of this technology. Food irradiation was first introduced as an additional technology to reduce or eliminate harmful bacteria found in meat, poultry or other foods, to prevent insect infestation of fresh fruits and vegetables, and to keep certain foods fresh longer.

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), food irradiation is "the process of exposing food products to ionizing energy for a specified length of time." The preservation effect desired, such as elimination of harmful bacteria or spoilage retardation, determines the amount of time the product is exposed to radiant energy. Food irradiation is a complement to the food industry's already safe food manufacturing practices. In 1990, the FDA approved irradiation for poultry products and in 1992, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) approved the guidelines for poultry processing. More recently in 1997, the FDA approved irradiation for beef, pork and lamb. The World Health Organization and 37 countries have approved food irradiation for more than 40 food products.

The USDA recently proposed permitting the irradiation of raw and frozen red meat (beef, pork and lamb) to eliminate harmful bacteria. Christine Bruhn, Ph.D., director, Center for Consumer Research, University of California - Davis, stated, "Once this regulatory process is complete, the food industry will have more options to help ensure safety and quality."

In 1998, the International Food Information Council (IFIC) conducted qualitative consumer research that showed that individuals accept the positive health benefits of food irradiation. According to Dr. Bruhn, "Consumers look to health educators and the government to provide information on this safety-enhancing technology."

The FDA requires that all foods processed by irradiation be labeled. The identifying Radura symbol along with a statement "treated with irradiation" or "treated by irradiation" placed on the label indicates that the product was irradiated. However, consumer research has defined a more understandable term, "cold pasteurized to eliminate harmful bacteria." With appropriate labeling of irradiated foods accompanied by consumer education, Americans are likely to become even more confident about the safety of their food supply.