The third recommendation is for Health Canada to approve the use of irradiation of ground beef. Food irradiation is a proven food safety technology that destroys disease-causing bacteria in foods. It serves the same function as milk pasteurization and pressure cooking of canned foods. Food irradiation is endorsed by many groups, including the World Health Organization and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
Food irradiation has been approved for several decades for a handful of foods in Canada, such as potatoes to inhibit sprouting. In the United States, irradiation of ground beef was approved in 1997. Scientific research, accumulated over more than five decades, shows food irradiation reduces or eliminates disease-causing bacteria in food, does not make food radioactive, and leaves the nutritional value of foods essentially unchanged. It is important to stress that food irradiation is not a replacement for existing hygienic practices in food production but rather another important tool in safeguarding our food supply.
In 1998 the Canadian Cattlemen's Association submitted an initial petition to Health Canada to approve irradiation of fresh and frozen ground beef to minimize the risks associated with E. coli 0157:H7. Proposed changes to the Food and Drugs Act to allow irradiation of ground beef were published in Canada Gazette 1 on November 23, 2002. In 2008, a review of scientific literature showing the degree of effectiveness of irradiation against E. coli 0157:H7 and salmonella in ground beef was submitted to Health Canada.
The irradiation of ground beef in Canada can offer an option to consumers looking to reduce the potential for food-borne illness caused by bacteria, especially E. coli 0157:H7. We are hopeful the government will consider this technology.