E coli incidents like those that ocurred in the Pacific Northwest i.e.
Jack in the Box in 1993, and in Japan with the 6000 sick school children
and the 3000 adults could have very strong influences on purchase decisions of a
consumer when left to decide between a safe cut of conventional chicken
that has been irradiated and the organic that has not. Considering that
anyhere between 6.5 and 30 million people could have food related illness
each year, and 9000 death occur, one would probablely buy the irradiated
product. Also in the world of sanctioned health claims being made through
labelling such as on Cheerios, about cholesterol, safety claims could also
be allowed.
I propose that this dilema could be partially ameliorated by conventional
growers being regulated to make more sustainable agricultural choices, but
until then the dollar will rule the market and health considerations and
liability issues such as in institutions like schools or hospitals
possiblely feeding unsafe food to an involuntary consuming population
will drive purchasing decisions.
Teige Davidson
Masters student
Tufts University