Are Strawberries Irradiated?

Sometimes they are exposed to radiation, and in the U. S.they must be labeled as such, also bearing the Radura symbol whenever they are sold. The amount of radiation can vary from being barely exposed to being slathered. And, of course, if you purchase a dish or drink from a restaurant that has strawberries in it, or another irradiated meat, poultry, spice or produce product that has been irradiated you would have no way to know. But this method of labeling may soon be a thing of the past.

The FDA, who decided that the process is safe and effective in protecting us against harmful bacteria, is proposing that certain foods previously exposed to radiation need not be labeled as such unless the radiation has caused a material change in the food or the consequence of consuming the food has been altered. And in this case, the FDA is proposing to permit the supplier to label these foods as “electronically pasteurized” or “cold pasteurized”, which is another term for foods that are irradiated, albeit a term mostly unfamiliar to the general population.

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