A May 1, 2005 article by Steve Wartenberg in The Morning Call mentions ACSH as a counterpoint to fears about irradiated beef:
Because of the efforts of grass-roots groups across the country, led by Public Citizen and local activists such as Szela and Stein, consumers have so far said ''no'' to irradiated beef.
''There is a big movement against irradiated meat that has had an impact on the market,'' said Wood, whose company's cold-food storage business continues to thrive.
Ron Eustes, executive director of the Minnesota Beef Council, said 18 million to 20 million pounds of ground beef and poultry were irradiated in 2004, most of it ground beef. This represents a minuscule fraction of the 9 billion pounds of ground beef that Eustes said are produced annually in this country.
''I was in shock when I heard the news [that the CFC Logistics irradiator was closing],'' Szela said.
As the phone began ringing nonstop and e-mails from around the world poured in offering congratulations, the shock was quickly replaced by sheer joy.
''You can make a difference,'' Szela said. ''A lot of people said we were wasting our time, that you can't stop this. But we did.''
In 1999, the U.S. Department of Agriculture approved irradiation as a safe way to kill E. coli, salmonella, parasites, and insects in raw meat and poultry. Several other countries and organizations, including the American Council on Science and Health and the World Health Organization, say irradiated meat is safe.
