"The idea that irradiated food is safe for human consumption doesn't even pass the laugh test," says Dr. Samuel Epstein of the University of Illinois at Chicago School of Public Health.

The Illinois Food Safety Coalition, Public Citizen, and the Cancer Prevention Coalition are urging citizens who care about their food and the environment to make a day of showing the FDA and USDA that enough is enough!

At the Symposium on Food Irradiation June 15 at the UIC School of Pharmacy, sponsored by the Cancer Prevention Coalition, Dr. Epstein, author of ten books including the highly acclaimed "The Politice of Cancer," will join with Wenonah Hauter of Public Citizen and Peter Jenkins of the Center for Food Safety to take on the irradiation industry and their errand boys in the regulatory agencies in a debate over whether food irradiation is the answer to the rampant outbreaks of foodborne illness in recent years.

Food irradiation exposes food to extremely high (up to one BILLION chest x-rays worth) levels of ionizing radiation to kill bacteria and increase the shelf life of food. One type of irradiation, gamma irradiation, uses radioactive isotopes, usually spent reactor fuel rods or nuclear bomb manufacturing waste, as the source of radiation. Electron Beam irradiation, a relatively new technology, uses beams of highly excited electrons traveling nearly the speed of light to zap food. This technology was developed by military contractor Titan Corporation for the "Star Wars" space shield, so they are proposing to zap your food with the same space beams they designed to shoot enemy missiles out of the sky!

If it sounds crazy, that's because it is... But it is happening right now!

There is a huge amount of irrefutable evidence that food irradiation destroys vitamins and causes chemical changes in food so harmful that serious health problems develop in lab animals when they consume an irradiated diet. The FDA, however, has reponded to pressure from industry and the Department of Energy by allowing the irradiation of Fruit, Vegetables, Poultry, Meat, and Spices, gambling with your health, worker safety, and the environment.

There have been numerous incidents where radioactive waste from irradiation facilities got out of the building, and sometimes into the trash, public sewers, and adjacent properties, threatening public health and safety along the way. According to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, 45 accidents at U.S. (food and medical-supply) irradiation plants were recorded from 1974-89, at least two of which were covered up by irradiation company executives, some of whom were criminally charged in federal court and given prison time.

Irradiation plant workers are exposed to dangerous radiation hazards. Several have died or been exposed to near-fatal doses of radiation at facilities throughout the world.

The symposium is free, and open to the public. Safe food and environmental advocates are urged to show up and voice their opposition to the FDA, which no longer works for the health and safety of Americans, but for the health and safety of corporate bottom lines. Feel free to just show up, but it would be appreciated if you call 312-670-2800, and leave a message so we know how many people to expect.

Friday, June 15, 9a - 5p @ 833 South Wood, The UIC College of Pharmacy, Room 36 (lower level)