We are interested in exporting fruit from Mexico that is irradiated
for phytosanitary purposes. We are interested as to the market
acceptance of such produce. We are aware of the research done by Dr.
Christine Bruhn, but would like additional information. Specifically
any perceived differences in the market reception of cobalt 60,
electron beam or x-ray irradiated product would be very helpful.

Arved

<Despite an extensive search, there appear to have been no studies
carried out on the public perception of the different methods of
irradiation. Frenzen et al. (2001) found that only 48% of consumers
have actually heard of irradiation. Studies looking at the perception
of irradiation concentrate on irradiation as a whole rather than the
different procedures. Those opposing irradiation are tend to press the
link between the process and nuclear waste.

Since the report by Christine Bruhn, there have been a number of polls
and surveys on the acceptance of irradiation. A major effect on public
opinion has been the anthrax scare where spores were sent through the
post. The fact that bio-terrorism can be countered by using
irradiation has swayed public opinion resulting in a greater
acceptance of the process. A survey by Porter Novelli found that 52
percent of respondents favoured irradiation of food. This was in
marked contrast to a survey the previous year that found only 11
percent of consumers would buy irradiated food.
http://www.foodengineering.org/CDA/ArticleInformation/news/news_item/0,6336,96878,00.html

A more recent survey however shows that the public is still undecided
about irradiated food. Carried out in 2002, it found that 32.6% of
respondents thought that irradiated food was safe. Males (46.2%) were
more likely to find irradiated food safe than females (20.0%).
http://www.prweb.com/releases/2002/2/prweb33708.php

The source of information about irradiation appears to have an effect
on the uptake of irradiated food. A survey of Kansas consumers found
that government information about radiation is more credible than
industry sources. This study looked at the acceptance of irradiated
burgers based on the type of information received about irradiation.
Consumers receiving government information were more likely to select
irradiated burgers (57%) than those receiving industry information
(51%) or no information (39%) about irradiation.
http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/news/sty/2002/irradiation_info120302.htm


A study by Fox et al. (2002) looked at consumers response to the
effect of unfavourable information. It was found that the effect of
negative information dominated the effect of positive information. It
also found that negative information could be counteracted to give
consumers confidence in buying irradiated products. Further details of
the study are described at
http://www.ift.org/publications/docshop/ft_shop/11-02/11_02_pdfs/11-02-fox.pdf


Irradiation of Hawaiian fruit. 
There was political and public opposition to the building of a gamma
irradiation center on the Big Island of Hawaii. Instead an X-ray
machine was built to irradiate the fruit.
In a vote on banning irradiation technology, Hawaii Pride got the
go-ahead for construction by a margin of less than one percent with
50,513 citizens casting ballots.
http://foodsafe.msu.edu/congress/proceedings_2003/full_copy.htm
http://www.e-hawaii.com/features/politics/rohter1.htm
http://www.miamigreens.org/foodiradupdate.shtml



Irradiation – consumer perceptions
http://www.beefboard.org/documents/irradiation.pdf

University of Arkansas study
http://216.239.51.104/search?q=cache:YQqraCZ6mAoJ:www.cvm.uiuc.edu/atvphpm/Newsletters/spring02.pdf+irradiation+%22preferred+method%22+survey+food&hl=en&ie=UTF-8

Test marketing of irradiated foods.
http://www.agjournal.com/story.cfm?story_id=86

The report Consumers Views on Food Irradiation shows that 80 percent
of consumers would be likely to buy a product if it was labelled
‘irradiated to kill harmful bacteria’.
http://www.gmabrands.com/news/docs/NewsRelease.cfm?DocID=196

A study by EcoLab found that 66% of consumers would buy irradiated
products.
http://216.239.51.104/search?q=cache:wqCWMqTwI9YJ:www.ecolab.com/foodsafety/FI/Images/fdsafepr2.pdf+%22irradiated+food%22+survey&hl=en&ie=UTF-8


A Gallup poll conducted for the American Meat Institute found that
although 74 percent of consumers had heard of irradiation only 24
percent claimed to have any knowledge of the process.
http://ag.arizona.edu/arec/wemc/papers/FoodSafety.html

1999 poll of 1000 adults asked about labelling of irradiated foods.
88.6 percent were in favour of labelling irradiated foods. 59.1
percent were in favour of placing the label on the front of the
package.
57.8 percent were in favour of the labelling term ‘treated by
irradiation’ rather than ‘electronically pasteurised’ (15.5 percent in
favour) or ‘cold pasteurised’ (9.2 percent in favour).
 http://www.cspinet.org/foodsafety/irradiation_usda.html

CNN poll found that 70% of consumers think it is safe to eat
irradiated meat.
http://216.239.51.104/search?q=cache:VPi64tzB7PoJ:www.fipaus.org/assets/FIPAqaSEP02.pdf+%22cnn+poll%22+irradiated+70&hl=en&ie=UTF-8

care 2 poll
In a poll about food safety in the U.S. there were 1234 responses.
64% of people were concerned about all forms of food safety. Greater
concern was indicated over pesticides, use of antibiotics and
genetically modified foods. 1 percent expressed a concern about
irradiation. Five percent reported no worries about food safety.
http://www.care2.com/polling/results/84



Labelling
http://216.239.51.104/search?q=cache:GBN18TLiwAsJ:www.health.state.mn.us/divs/dpc/food/conf/resource/MitchelNotes.pdf+irradiation+poll&hl=en&ie=UTF-8

GMA poll
http://www.gmabrands.com/news/docs/NewsRelease.cfm?DocID=208

CBS Poll
http://www.wildmatters.org/primer/ataglance.htm
http://www.mindfully.org/Food/Irradiated-Food-Nuc-Weapon.htm



Opposition to irradiation.

According to Public Citizen 75% of respondents to a comment period on
the USDA website were opposed to irradiation.
http://www.agriculture.com/default.sph/AgNews.class?FNC=sideBarMore__ANewsindex_html___49720


There are a number of groups who are actively opposed to radiation
these include Organic Consumers Organisation and Public Citizen. The
following are articles opposing irradiation.
http://www.holistic-physician.com/articles/broch-firrad.htm

Stop Food Irradiation Project – Organic Consumers Association
http://www.purefood.org/irradlink.html

Public citizen
http://www.mercola.com/2001/sep/1/irradiation.htm

Parent protest U.S. schools irradiated meat plan.
http://www.enn.com/news/wire-stories/2002/12/12132002/reu_49173.asp

Net activist.
http://www.netactivist.dk/food_E2.htm


Sterigenics – the untold history.
http://www.organicconsumers.org/irrad/SteriGenicsIL.cfm

Grace
http://www.gracelinks.org/nuke/food/

Nuclear lunch.
http://www.mindfully.org/Food/Irradiated-Nuclear-LunchJul02.htm>



<Additional links:>
<Food industry seen embracing irradiation>
<http://abcnews.go.com/wire/Business/reuters20030201_483.html>
<Labelling of irradiated foods.>
<http://www.cce.cornell.edu/food/fsarchives/111202/irradiatedlabel.html>

<Irradiation – consumer perceptions.>
<http://www.beefboard.org/documents/irradiation.pdf>


<Pork Irradiation Project>
<http://216.239.51.104/search?q=cache:kaMzoZrQBVsJ:www.meatscience.org/Pubs/factsheets/qirradiation.pdf+consumers+knowledge+%22irradiation%22&hl=en&ie=UTF-8>

<Canadian consumers>
<http://131.104.232.9/fsnet/2001/5-2001/fs-05-17-01-01.txt>

<History of irradiation>
<http://www.nfid.org/library/steele.html>

<No link between food-borne illness and acceptance of irradiation>
<http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/cidrap/content/fs/irradiation/news/irradiation011802.html>

<Nuclear techniques in food and agriculture.>
<http://216.239.41.104/search?q=cache:ouXzMqxmXwEJ:www.iaea.or.at/icgfi/documents/fresno.pdf+hawaii+%22+x-ray+machine%22+papaya+&hl=en&ie=UTF-8>

<The dangers of irradiation facilities.>
<http://216.239.51.104/search?q=cache:NIjvOFPEC0AJ:www.citizen.org/documents/Accidents_(PDF).PDF+hawaii+%22irradiation+plant%22&hl=en&ie=UTF-8>


<Search strategy:>

<irradiation poll –cbs>
<://www.google.com/search?as_q=irradiation+poll&num=10&hl=en&ie=ISO-8859-1&btnG=Google+Search&as_epq=&as_oq=&as_eq=cbs&lr=&as_ft=i&as_filetype=&as_qdr=all&as_occt=any&as_dt=i&as_sitesearch=&safe=images>

<"irradiated food" anthrax>
://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=%22irradiated+food%22+anthrax+

<consumers "heard of" "irradiation>
<://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=consumers+%22heard+of%22+%22irradiation%22>

<consumers attitude "irradiation">
<://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=consumers+attitude+%22irradiation%22>



<Hope this helps.>

Thanks for a very complete overview. You exceeded my expectations and
I highly recommend your work.

Arved