16-26
November 2004
Melbourne,
Canberra, Sydney, Brisbane and Cairns
Featuring
international keynote speaker Wenonah Hauter
Director,
Critical Mass Energy & Environment Program, Public Citizen, USA
National
speakers include (vary with venue):
Fran
Jell -
Narangba, Qld Irradiation Free Campaign
Bonny
Bauer -
Far North Qld Rural Commentator
Dave
Sweeney – ACF Anti-nuclear Campaigner
Cam
Walker - FOE Campaigns Coordinator
Andre
Leu
– Organic Federation of Australia
Rob
Pekin
– CSA Farm Consultant
Are you eating
irradiated food? Food irradiation
is happening now in Australia despite strong public opposition and deep concern
that our food is being sterilised using highly radioactive material. Food Irradiation Watch brings you
the National Food Irradiation Awareness Tour to provide you, the consumer, the
producer, the retailer, with the information you need to know to make an
informed choice for you and your family.
Following are the list of speakers and events in a city near you. Below and attached is the
tour’s itinerary.
Additional
speakers Dave Sweeny ACF anti-nuclear campaigner and Cam Walker FOE Campaigns
Co-ordinator
Supported
by RMIT Student Union and Friends of the Earth
Info: 0415 380 808 or (03)9419 8700
Hosted
by Friends of the Earth
Info: (03)9419 8700
Info:
(03)9419 8700 for details
Info: 0411 118 737
Sydney
Convention Centre, Darling Dr, Darling Harbour
Supported
by the Natural Health Society
Tower Building, Broadway (diagonally opposite Central
Station)
Hosted by Environmental Advocacy, Griffith Uni, Qld
Tower
Building, Broadway (diagonally opposite Central Station)
Speakers
include Andre Leu, Chair of the Organic Farmers Federation
Hosted
by the Search Foundation
Tuesday
23 Nov 7pm, Ukranian Community Centre, 70 Cordelia St, West End Additional speakers
include Rob Pekin, CSA Farm Consultant
Supported
by Food Irradiation Watch
Hosted
by Environmental Advocacy, Griffith Uni
Info: 0438 740 451
Food
Irradiation & True Foods -
strategy discussion with a global perspective
RSVP
required to 0405 092 445 or 0411 118 737
For all
events: Food Irradiation Watch
0411 118 737 or 0405 092 445
Additional
speaker Andre Leu, Organic Federation of Australia
Info: 0411 118 737 or 0405 092 445
24th
November is International No Food Irradiation Day
Hold
an event in your region and join with others on a global scale to oppose this
unwanted, unsafe and unnecessary food technology – food irradiation.
foodirradiationwatch@yahoo.com.au
Statement from the
Food Irradiation Awareness Tour's international speaker, Wenonah Hauter,
consumer advocate, food irradiation expert, organic farmer and Director of
Public Citizen's Critical Mass Energy and Environment Program, Washington DC,
USA. The statement is about food
irradiation, Public Citizen and Australia.
Public Citizen’s Safe Food Campaign has spent several years documenting the irradiation industry’s history and the many dangers posed by irradiated food. The proponents of irradiation are misrepresenting the research on the technology and the acceptance of irradiated food by American consumers.
Irradiation is the
process by which food is “treated” with high-energy ionizing
radiation in the form of gamma rays from radioactive cobalt-60, x-rays, or
electron beams for the purpose of eliminating bacteria, extending shelf life
and killing invasive pests. The negative health effects that irradiated foods
have had on lab animals are well documented, including premature death,
mutations, fetal death and other reproductive problems, immune system
disorders, fatal internal bleeding, organ damage, tumors, stunted growth and
nutritional deficiencies. In legalizing and endorsing food irradiation, the
U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the World Health Organization have
ignored a vast amount of research suggesting that irradiated foods are not safe
for human consumption.
Irradiation significantly
alters the composition of food. Chemicals that do not occur naturally in any
foods - called 2-alkylcyclobutanones, or 2-ACBs – have been linked to
cancer development in rats and genetic damage in human cells. Many other
chemicals are also formed, including several known or suspected to cause cancer
and birth defects, such as benzene and methyl ethyl ketone. Irradiation also
destroys and disrupts vitamins, protein, essential fatty acids and other
nutrients in food. Further, several deaths and numerous injuries have occurred
at irradiation facilities throughout the world. Dozens of mishaps and acts of
misconduct have been reported, some of which have led to criminal convictions
of company executives.
Moreover, irradiation
masks the filthy conditions in slaughterhouses and food processing plants that
cause meat to be contaminated with foodborne pathogens. Irradiation does
nothing to remove the feces, urine, pus and vomit that often contaminate beef,
pork, chicken and other meat. In Australia, the government’s
inappropriately named “Meat Safety Enhancement Program” allows company
employees to perform inspection duties once conducted by government inspectors.
Standards have dropped to the point that sanitation practices are superior at
facilities slaughtering horses and donkeys for pet food, compared to meatworks
producing food for Australian consumers. Among many documented problems, up to
three-fourths of carcasses have been smeared with feces, old
“black” meat has been integrated into meat pies, and fat, rotting
meat, blood and grease have accumulated on infrequently cleaned equipment.
Slaughterhouse line-speeds have increased by 50-100 percent, making
comprehensive inspection virtually impossible.
The European Union has
refused to accept any beef inspected under Australia’s new system.