I see recalls like this one for E.Coli in ground beef at an alarming rate lately. We see pathogens showing up in tomatoes, cantaloupes, spinach, lettuce, peppers, chicken, ground beef, etc. (I won’t even bring up all the pest issues such as the Mexican fruit fly in this entry).

According to sources from the CDC, USDA, Rhode Island Department of Health, and Massachusetts Department of Public Health, over 20 people got sick from E.Coli in ground beef. Most were children ( 6th graders from Lincoln Middle School in Rhode Island) that were on a class field trip. 2 kids are reported to have been hospitalized.

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I just returned from the 18th annual CIRMS meeting, held at NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) outside Washington D.C.

If you are new to this irradiation technology, CIRMS stands for the Council on Ionizing Radiation Measurements and Standards. CIRMS is an independant, non-profit council that draws together experts involved in all aspects of ionizing radiation to discuss, review, and assess developments and needs in the field.

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