Food irradiation: Is it safe?

Some of the food we eat -- especially spices and imported produce -- is irradiated for our safety. Food scientist Anuradha Prakash, Ph.D., professor and program director of the food science department at Chapman University, explains the process, effects and her research on food irradiation.
Prakash is joined by Larry Santora, M.D., medical director of the Orange County Heart Institute and host of "Health Matters with Dr. Larry Santora" television series, which airs weekly on PBS OC. Visit www.drsantora.com.
Produced by Chapman University's Panther Productions, "Health Matters with Dr. Larry Santora" is sponsored by St. Joseph Health, St. Joseph Hospital, Biotronik, Churm Media, The Widdicombe Family, Medtronic, Weaver Health Solutions and Abbott Vascular.

[@Ucceah]

"just as light goes through this orange" made me giggle, other than that, legitimate information.

[@LeahBrooksJeremiahGardens]

I love this quote: "When radiant energy hits DNA it damages it". What a thought provoking quote! I'd rather not eat food that has had widespread DNA damage.

[@robertreznik9330]

+Leah Brooks Better stop grilling because it destroys DNA

[@brandonchen1204]

damaged DNA isn't harmful nor is it uncommon. Exposing tomatoes to sunlight damages DNA. And as Robert pointed out, grilling also damages DNA yet we consume it all the time.

[@NeppyNeptune]

Why would you need a fruit's DNA if you're just going to eat it? It's already picked and prepared.

[@sharonerdrich]

1. If consuming irradiated dates (based on average consumption for one year) results in est exposure of 32 μSv (Alrefae, 2015), why is it different in your oranges?
2. Did you measure the furan (USDA: "reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen") content of those oranges after irradiation?

[@ChumpusRex]

The Alrefae study did NOT look at irradiated food. It studies naturally occurring radioactives found in palm dates (absorbed from the soil, or from the use of fertilizers).

[@jeritulcomplete]

Does this affect the seeds of the fruits .? in that can the seeds be planted and reproduce ?

[@brandonchen1204]

yes, even low doses of irradiation can stop seeds from sprouting

[@NeppyNeptune]

The irradiated food being sold to the public isn't meant for re-planting. They would obviously save seeds that aren't irradiated for re-plantation.

[@themolynator5127]

Im not totally convinced its safe. She said " the irradiation damages the bacteria/ insect DNA, eliminating them". So what about the plant DNA of the fruit itself, how is it not damaged?

[@brandonchen1204]

Yes, the dna of the food can be damaged by irradiation. However, I wouldn't be too concerned about this. Damaged DNA is in everything we eat even if it hasn't been treated with irradiation. Even your own body has damaged DNA just by being exposed to the sun.

[@NeppyNeptune]

Why would you need a fruit's DNA if you're just going to eat it? It's already picked and prepared.

[@dougelick8397]

What do you think the acid in your stomach does ot it?

[@AEPPLE_MUSIC]

The sun damages DNA too, but you aren't scared to eat fruit that was dryed in the sun.

[@jhildebrand7447]

How about instead; not contaminating our food with ecoli! If you're gross- go out of business PLEASE! I don't want to eat radiated food with mutated e-coli carcasses.

[@karatemomkicksyobutt]

Thousands of years ago... Biblically speaking people lived for hundreds of years... They lived without poisoning the food.. smh

[@brandonchen1204]

in John 2:1-11 Jesus went to a wedding and turned six water jars to wine. I know this is New Testament and people lived to be hundreds in the Old Testament. But frankly speaking, wine contains ethanol which is a poison yet people have been celebrating it and drinking it for thousands of years.
People in the Old Testament didn't live so long because they didn't drink poison. It was because they were closer to Adam's ancestry and closer to the original image of God.
Irradiation is safe

[@morningbear3794]

you arent gonna factor in the fact the population has dramatically increased sense then?

[@marketinginternational1777]

She said it peeps! It damages... changes structure.
How the hell would she know as to how and to what extend? Well, just like with fluoride the side effects will come later...

[@christinebruhn899]

Excellent. Most informative

[@TedForbes21]

But it's not about how it looks or how it taste. It's about the slow/long term effects of the irradiated food on the human anatomy . If it looks and taste good but not doing it's natural duty it is empty and no use other than temporary pleasures. If it's doing an artificial duty that is harmful to us then what the point of killing foreign bodies of the fruits that might or might not harm us if the treated food itself is harmful.

[@dineshtilva]

good information... thanks dr. larry