IntroductionThere have been an increasing number of foodborne illnesses in this country and around the world in recent years. This has led to increased awareness of food safety. Food irradiation is considered a potential solution to this problem. Food irradiation is the process of exposing food to ionizing radiation. Research shows that food irradiation can reduce or eliminate harmful pathogens and bacteria in our food, thereby reducing or even stopping the spread of foodborne illnesses. Supporters argue that this has many benefits and will increase public safety. They believe this will increase the shelf life of the products we buy and reduce the need to use other harmful chemicals. Ultimately, they believe that food irradiation is a viable option for increasing the safety of our food supply. Not everyone shares these feelings. Opponents of food irradiation worry about the safety of the process and its long-term effects. They think this opens a new can of worms, with its own set of problems. These include the effects of irradiation on the composition and nutritional value of foods. According to them, many environmental concerns must be taken into account. Opponents of food irradiation worry about the outbreak of foodborne illnesses and the safety of the food supply. However, they believe this is an unnecessary extreme. They believe we should carefully evaluate our food handling practices. They believe that cleaning up current conditions would greatly improve food security. With proper implementation of the standards, we would not need to go as far as food irradiation. Consumers are becoming more aware of the foods they eat every day. They are conscio label...... middle of paper ...... Mph. “Technical Report: Food Irradiation.” Pediatrics 106.6 (2000): 1505-1510. Print. Krisberg, Kim. “Despite widespread support, the debate over food irradiation continues.” The health of the nation September 2004: 19 and 37. Print. Louria, Donald. “Zap the food supply.” The Bulletin of Atomic Scientists 0 (1990): 34-36. Print.Osterholm, Michael and Morris Potter. “Irradiation Pasteurization of Solid Foods: Taking Food Safety to the Next Level.” Emerging Infectious Diseases 3.4 (1997): 1-6. Print.Stewart, Eileen. “Food irradiation: more advantages than disadvantages? Part 2.” Biologist Spring 2004: 141-144. Print.Tauxe, Robert. “Food safety and irradiation: protecting the public from foodborne infections.” » Emerging Infectious Diseases 7.3 (2001): 516-521. Print."The advantages and disadvantages of irradiation as a response to the safety of our food." Environmental nutrition, October 2008: 7. Print.