Thread by @Niemira

@JohnBoelts @manan73 @channah_rock @RobertWager1 @UArizonaCALS There were a number of factors in why irradiation of leafy greens as a food safety treatment looked promising then stalled out.

But first: it’s safe, effective, flexible, and thoroughly studied.

So why is it still so niche?
fda.gov/food/buy-store…

@JohnBoelts @manan73 @channah_rock @RobertWager1 @UArizonaCALS The big spinach outbreak/recall of 2006 was tragic for the victims, and was insanely expensive and sector-damaging for spinach and had a giant spillover impact on all leafy greens, bagged and whole head.

@JohnBoelts @manan73 @channah_rock @RobertWager1 @UArizonaCALS But while the spinach outbreak/recall was huge, there were multiple lettuce outbreaks/recalls about every year. Looking at 19 big lettuce recalls and one gigantic spinach recall, pressure for action was high.

Public, industry, regulators all needed something done.

@JohnBoelts @manan73 @channah_rock @RobertWager1 @UArizonaCALS In 2006, FDA was already reviewing a petition to allow irradiation of leafy greens.

In 2008 they issued a rule (#humblebrag: based in large part on the work of myself and my USDA-ARS colleague Xuetong Fan) that allowed for irradiation of iceberg lettuce and spinach.

But then...

@JohnBoelts @manan73 @channah_rock @RobertWager1 @UArizonaCALS (Sorry - brief hiatus was to feed my kids and drive them to school.)

But then...

@JohnBoelts @manan73 @channah_rock @RobertWager1 @UArizonaCALS Despite a lot of positive anticipation from the leafy greens industry, the rule as written put limitations on what kinds of leafy greens could be irradiated: spinach (baby or bunch) and iceberg lettuce. Specifically, *iceberg*.

Why was this an issue?

@JohnBoelts @manan73 @channah_rock @RobertWager1 @UArizonaCALS The rule was in response to what had been the vehicle for outbreaks. Those two items (spinach and iceberg) were the problem, so they got the solution.

But that meant that ONLY spinach and iceberg could be irradiated. Not romaine, Boston, red or green, bib... just iceberg.

@JohnBoelts @manan73 @channah_rock @RobertWager1 @UArizonaCALS Sliced carrots, onions, radishes, etc. were NOT approved to be irradiated as a food safety step.

And that meant that most of the bagged salads arena was ineligible, since few salad bags are only iceberg. Most are mixed greens.

@JohnBoelts @manan73 @channah_rock @RobertWager1 @UArizonaCALS So the leafy greens industry had a hard time finding products they could use the technology on.

Irradiation is expensive, with high costs for startup, paperwork & labeling. Industry people said they were ready to roll it out despite this, but they need a product to sell.

@JohnBoelts @manan73 @channah_rock @RobertWager1 @UArizonaCALS Expensive: there aren’t many irradiation service providers prepared to process leafy greens, even fewer in the volumes required. That means high shipping costs, storage, and shelf life time lost in transit.

@JohnBoelts @manan73 @channah_rock @RobertWager1 @UArizonaCALS With more demand for irradiation, the cost would have come down and capacity gone up over time. But it was time the industry didn’t have, and no clear product application to drive innovation and investment.

@JohnBoelts @manan73 @channah_rock @RobertWager1 @UArizonaCALS Labeling: any irradiated product needs the radura symbol on the label. Changing labels means getting the new one approved by FDA.

Again, people seemed ready to move forward, but without a product to sell...

@JohnBoelts @manan73 @channah_rock @RobertWager1 @UArizonaCALS Opposition: there has long been an entrenched segment of the buying public which is vocally opposed to the irradiation of any food. Despite mountains of carefully conducted, reviewed, and accepted scientific study, they are unshakably convinced that it’s bad.

@JohnBoelts @manan73 @channah_rock @RobertWager1 @UArizonaCALS Unlike the opposition to Hawaiian pizza or anchovy pizza (both of which are delicious, BTW), people opposed to irradiated food not only don’t want to eat it themselves, they don’t want it in the market AT ALL. They picket stores, protest, etc.

And yet...

@JohnBoelts @manan73 @channah_rock @RobertWager1 @UArizonaCALS Sociology studies of consumer behavior related to irradiated foods shows that two factors drive “buy/no buy” decisions:

1) familiarity
2) price

If people get just little bit of good info, it tends to offset the bad info. And if it doesn’t cost more, they’ll buy it.

@JohnBoelts @manan73 @channah_rock @RobertWager1 @UArizonaCALS There’s more to the story, but that’s more or less why you don’t see irradiation used as an industry standard food safety treatment for romaine lettuce and other leafy greens. <end>