AGRICULTURE REPORT - Irradiated Meat

AGRICULTURE REPORT December 17, 2002 — Irradiated Meat

This is the VOA Special English Agriculture Report.

The United States government has approved methods of destroying bacteria in meat by using
radiation. The government says using radiation to kill harmful organisms¹ in meat is safe. The
World Health Organization also supports the use of irradiation to control food-related sickness
caused by dangerous organisms.

On average, there are more than three-million cases of food-related sicknesses each year in
America. About one-thousand-six-hundred deaths are reported. However, studies for the The radura is the
international Department of Agriculture say that harmful organisms in food cause as many as seventy-sixsymbol for million sicknesses each year in the United States. Eighty-one percent of these sicknesses have
irradiated food. unknown causes.

Food irradiation can be done in three ways. One process uses a radioactive² device³
made of the elements cobalt or cesium. These substances produce energy called
gamma rays. Meat is exposed to gamma rays in a protected space surrounded by thick
walls. The food is taken out of the space when it has been exposed to enough
radiation. The gamma ray device is always radioactive so it must be stored in a large
tank of water.

Another process uses a device similar to one found in televisions. It is called an
electron⁴ gun. It fires a stream of electrons⁵ strong enough to kill harmful organisms in
the food. A newer process uses X-rays to kill bacteria.

The amount of radiation used in some of these processes may be surprising. For example, the energy necessary to
kill the bacterium⁶ salmonella in chicken is seven-million times greater than that used when a person gets a chest
X-ray. The World Health Organization says that radiation levels are safe and do not change food in any important
way.

However, the Department of Agriculture has done studies on public support for irradiated food in the United
States. Recent studies show that public support is decreasing.

The government also found that the high cost of irradiating meat may affect its popularity⁷. Studies estimate⁸ that it
could cost between five and seventeen-million dollars a year for each factory that uses irradiation. Yet, irradiation
does not protect meat from harmful organisms while it is processed in stores or in homes. So irradiated meat
would still require careful preparation.

This VOA Special English Agriculture Report was written by Mario Ritter.

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Irradiation is also used on
foods other than meat.

1 organisms   

n.有机物( organism的名词复数 )；有机体；生物；有机体系

参考例句：

• The organisms can be divided into discrete categories. 有机体可分为许多互不相联的种类。
• The cell is the unit of which all living organisms are composed. 细胞是构成一切生物的单位。

2 radioactive   

adj.放射性的

参考例句：

• People should keep away from the radioactive waste.人们应远离放射性废物。
• The radioactive material is stored in a special radiation-proof container.放射性材料储存在防辐射的特殊容器里。

3 device   

n.器械，装置；计划，策略，诡计

参考例句：

• The device will be in production by the end of the year.该装置将于年底投入生产。
• The device will save much time and effort for us.这种装置会使我们节省大量时间和气力。

4 electron   

n.电子

参考例句：

• We arrange to get an electron on the stage of our microscope.我们设法将一个电子置于显微镜架上。
• If the energy is sufficient,this electron will be emitted.如果能量是充分的，这个电子将被放射出来。

5 electrons   

n.电子( electron的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Electrons are negatively charged with electricity,protons are positively charged. 电子是带负电荷的，质子是带正电荷的。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Electrons are negatively charged with electricity. 电子带负电荷。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

6 bacterium   

n.(pl.)bacteria 细菌

参考例句：

• The bacterium possibly goes in the human body by the mouth.细菌可能通过口进入人体。
• A bacterium is identified as the cause for his duodenal ulcer.一种细菌被断定为造成他十二指肠溃疡的根源。

7 popularity   

n.普及，流行，名望，受欢迎

参考例句：

• The story had an extensive popularity among American readers.这本小说在美国读者中赢得广泛的声望。
• Our product enjoys popularity throughout the world.我们的产品饮誉全球。

8 estimate   

n.估计，估量；评价，看法；vt.估计，估量

参考例句：

• We estimate the cost to be five thousand dollars.我们估计费用为5000美元。
• The lowest estimate would put the worth of the jewel at ＄200.按最低的评估这块宝石也值200美元。

9 version   

n.版本；型号；叙述，说法

参考例句：

• His version of the events is pure supposition.他对这件事的说法纯属猜测。
• What is your version of this matter?你对这件事情的看法 怎么样？