The U.S. government has OK’d irradiation for a variety of foods — meat, spices, certain imported fruits, the seeds used to grow sprouts. Even iceberg lettuce or spinach can be irradiated without the leaves going limp. And no, it doesn’t make the food radioactive.
But sterilized leafy greens aren’t on the market, and overall sales of irradiated foods remain low. A disappointed Grocery Manufacturers Association says one reason is that sellers worry about consumer mistrust.
“We need to do whatever we can to give us a wider margin of safety,” says Dr. Michael Osterholm, a University of Minnesota infectious disease specialist who frequently advises the government. “Food irradiation for a number of produce items would give us not just a marginal increase, but give us probably the Grand Canyon increase of safety.”