The Washington Post reports that as the US Department of Agriculture prepares to issue guidelines for how irradiated beef can be allowed in school lunches in the nation’s public schools, local authorities are dealing with the issue in a wide range of ways.
In Point Arena, California, for example, the board of education voted not to allow irradiated food into its school lunch program.
But the Minnesota Department of Education, on the other hand, “is so interested in the concept that it sought and received $151,000 from the Agriculture Department to fund a pilot program to educate three of its school districts on using irradiated beef.”
Potentially, irradiated beef could find its way onto the lunch trays of some 27 million schoolchildren inn this country.
In Point Arena, California, for example, the board of education voted not to allow irradiated food into its school lunch program.
But the Minnesota Department of Education, on the other hand, “is so interested in the concept that it sought and received $151,000 from the Agriculture Department to fund a pilot program to educate three of its school districts on using irradiated beef.”
Potentially, irradiated beef could find its way onto the lunch trays of some 27 million schoolchildren inn this country.
- KC's View:
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This story is relevant to retailers because what people are willing and unwilling to feed their kids at school reflects on what they will and won’t buy in the store to feed them at home.
A lot of education remains to be done before the concept of irradiation is fully acceptable, even despite the evidence that it can prevent food borne illnesses.
And we don’t mean changing the name to “cold pasteurization.” That’s just cosmetic…and deflects attention from the real issues that need to be addressed.
