For Release: June 10, 2008

"The U.S. is rushing toward food irradiation as a panacea for preventing food poisoning. Recent outbreaks of E. coli bacteria in lettuce, spinach, and onions have reinvigorated interest in irradiation as a way to prevent foodborne illness.  At the same time, as this book goes to press, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is considering a new rule that would weaken labeling of irradiated food and prevent consumers from knowing that their foodhas been exposed to large doses of radiation."

- Excerpt from the preface of Zapped!

Author Wenonah Hauter
Wenonah Hauter is the executive director of Food & Water Watch. She has worked extensively on energy, food, water and environmental issues at the national, state and local level. Request an interview with Ms. Hauter here.

In Zapped! Irradiation and the Death of Food, policy expert Wenonah Hauter tackles a decades-long public relations ruse by the food industry. Hauter and her co-author Mark Worth expose irradiation, long touted as the solution to the growing problem of foodborne illnesses and contamination, as a dangerous practice with too little research to back it up. Packed with resources for the activist as well as nuts-and-bolts facts about irradiation, Zapped! sheds light on the human health, food safety, and economic consequences of irradiating our food.

Zapped! is a call to action for everyone who eats.

Praise for Zapped!

"Zapped! seeks to overcome the massive misinformation campaign designed to generate confusion among consumers.  Hauter and Worth desire an honest public debate about reforming a broken food production and marketing system.  The problems are too urgent and important to leave to government bureaucrats and corporate executives to fix.  Solutions that work depend on a vibrant, function democracy – and the heart of our democracy is you."

- Jim Hightower, former Texas agriculture commissioner, best selling author of Theives in High Places.

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