A recent email from a pet owner brings back an important reminder.  Do you know what this symbol means?  Now don't cheat; don't scroll down the page to see what it means.  If you saw this symbol on a pet food/treat or a human food, do you know what it is telling you?

This symbol is called a RADURA logo.  Although it looks to imply 'green' or environmentally friendly, the truth is that this symbol means the food was treated with irradiation.  SustainableTable.org states "During irradiation food is exposed to high doses of radiation in the form of gamma rays, X-rays or electron beams. Irradiation can kill nearly all bacteria in food, both good and bad, but has no effect on the infectious agent that causes mad cow disease, or on viruses, such as those that cause hepatitis or foot and mouth disease."  

What can irradiation do to food?  You might want to ask a pet owner from Australia that question.  In 2008, Orijen pet foods imported into Australia were treated with irradiation and ended up killing pets.  

To read more about this incident, visithttp://www.truthaboutpetfood.com/articles/was-irradiated-pet-food-t...
and
http://www.truthaboutpetfood.com/articles/comment-from-pet-owner-in...

While the FDA says irradiation is safe, SustainableTable.org states "The long-term health consequences of eating irradiated food are still unknown. Irradiation creates a complex series of reactions that alter the molecular structure of food and create known carcinogens, including benzene, and other toxic chemicals, including toluene. In addition, byproducts of irradiation, called 2-ACBs, which do not occur naturally in any food, have been linked to cancer in rats and genetic damage in human cells. Animals fed irradiated foods have died prematurely and suffered mutations, stillbirths, organ damage and nutritional deficiencies." http://www.sustainabletable.org/issues/irradiation/

Look for the 'flower' on the label...avoid purchasing pet products that include the RADURA symbol.  Also, the RADURA symbol can be in a variety of colors; don't look just for the green color above.  Many, many pet treats - popular pet treats - are treated with irradiation (few foods to my knowledge - in the U.S.); the RADURA symbol will be somewhere on the packaging.  Look for it!  Tell a friend.

Wishing you and your pet(s) the best,

Susan Thixton
Truth about Pet Food
Petsumer Report
www.TruthaboutPetFood.com