OTHER NEWS - Feb. 25, 1994

USDA to Propose Irradiation of Red Meat: The Agriculture Department will ask the Food and Drug Administration to review the safety of treating beef and other red meats with low-level doses of radiation to kill harmful bacteria, Secretary Mike Espy announced. Irradiation would kill such bacteria as the type that caused last year’s mass outbreak of food poisoning linked to undercooked hamburgers. Espy’s announcement brought an immediate outcry from opponents, who say irradiation involves the use of dangerous materials and poses its own risks to consumers and the environment. An FDA review would take up to 18 months.