In the Review of Applied Entomology vol.54, 1966 at p. 249 we find a review of a book. It concerns P.B. Cornwell as editor of a bundle of research papers on insect irradiation. The title of the book: The entomology of radiation disinfestation of grain. A collection of original research papers.

The book review in this issue of the Review of Applied Entomology starts as follows:

‘The work reported in this volume was carried out by the Entomology Group of the Wantage Research Laboratory in 1955-61. This group was established as part of the contribution of the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority to the finding of possible industrial applications of the new sources of radiation now available.’

The Wantage Research Laboratory is a major nuclear facility in the UK. The push for food irradiation has always come from the nuclear establishment. The idea was and is to use nuclear waste as radiation source in food irradiators. In other words it is an attempt to spread nuclear waste widely: many glorified nuclear dumps as food irradiators instead of the present large, few nuclear dumps that are running out of space.

The starting up is always done with radioactive cobalt. This is not a waste product of the nuclear industry. It is specially made for the purpose. It is to get a foot in the door. The real intention is to switch over to radio-active cesium. This is the nuclear waste and its danger is that it is water soluble. Any spill can have very bad consequences for the community where this happens.

A number of research groups have used radio-active cesium in their insect irradiation experiments. It shows the real intentions. One group is Japanese their research is mentioned in the Review of Applied Entomology -Series A 1976 vol.64 No.12 at p.1969 no.7099 Kiyoku, M. et al.

Another research with radioactive caesium was done in Hungary: Review of Applied Entomology - Series A 1976 vol.64 No.9 at p. 1476 no.5315. Szentesi, A.

And a third research with radioactive caesium was done in Canada. Review of Applied Entomology - Series A 1975 vol.63 No.7 at p.637 no.4637. Chawla, S.S. et al.

These are the researches I came across. There are probably a lot more.

In the 1950s and 1960s much genuine research was done on food irradiation by universities, research centra and so on. And what was the outcome? That the technology was found to be unsuitable as a food technology. So, genuine research ceased.

However, the nuclear lobby has never accepted this and with fake research, false reviews and bribing ("grants" we call them) they try to get their way. It shows that they do not really understand anything of food technology, nor of science.

It seems their only concern is to get rid of their nuclear waste.

H. Julius

Copyright © 1999 Friends of the Earth

Feel free to copy

The Rivermouth Action Group Inc

E-mail: activist@rag.org.au

as a community service.