The Food and Drug Administration recently decided to allow producers of fresh iceberg lettuce and spinach to irradiate the vegetables in order to protect consumers from food-borne pathogens. The best example for the need of such a measure is the E.coli-infected spinach that killed three people and sickened another 205 about two years ago.

The FDA explained that for now the ionizing radiation will only be used for these two vegetables, even though the agency constantly receives petitions from numerous companies that request the permission to use the process on their products.

There have been some debates started by consumer groups and different agencies concerned with the sickening risks of the irradiation process but the FDA claims that it is extremely safe and it would not allow an action that would stop a disease and cause another. The FDA's final rule, released Thursday and effective today, notes: "The agency has determined that this action is of a type that does not individually or cumulatively have a significant effect on the human environment."

Such a consumer rights group, worried about the effects of such a process, is the nonprofit Food & Water Watch Agency. Its officials claim that there is far too little information on the effects of a long term use of irradiated vegetables, to allow such a measure.

"It is unbelievable that the FDA's first action on this issue is to turn to irradiation rather than focus on how to prevent contamination of these crops," said Wenonah Hauter, executive director of Food & Water Watch. "Instead of beefing up its capacity to inspect food facilities or test food for contamination, all the FDA has to offer consumers is an impractical, ineffective and very expensive gimmick like irradiation."

Another group, the Organic Consumer Association, stated through its national director, Mr. Ronnie Cummins, its official take on the matter: "It's the latest in a series of PR moves designed to mislead the public from the fact that the government is asleep at the wheel here."

FDA’s decision to focus on fresh iceberg lettuce and spinach was also influenced by the petition forwarded by the Grocery Manufacturers Association. Back in 2000, the association’s members demanded the green light on the voluntary use of ionizing radiation which was not approved and after the 2006 E. coli outbreak, a new request concerning just the two vegetables was presented before the FDA’s board.

E.coli is a widely found bacterium, tolerated by cattle and found in their feces. Over the past few years it has led to numerous recalls for the major meat and vegetables producers. For humans it poses significant danger, as its food poisoning can lead to kidney failure and even death, especially targeting children, the elderly and basically anyone with a weak immune system. It is known to cause diarrhea and high fever.

The sides will probably stick to their stories, as until a careful analysis will be completed, nobody can say that their opinion is 100 percent accurate. Until then, consumers have the option to buy the irradiated vegetables or not.