Sadex officials defy E.coli bacteria
After irradiation, spinach is tasty and healthy
By Nicole Paseka Journal staff writer | Posted: Thursday, September 28, 2006
Matthew Flannigan, Sadex Corp. quality assurance manager, carries a bag of fresh spinach after it was irradiated during a press event Wednesday at the company's Sioux City facility. The spinach had been tested and shown to have E. coli contamination before being irradiated and then eaten by company executives. The company was using the event to tout its irradiation technology which it says will kill E. coli bacteria in spinach and other ready-to-eat foods. (Staff photo by Tim Hynds)
Popeye the Sailor Man would have approved of the green, leafy spinach gobbled up by Sadex Corp. officials early Wednesday morning.
Popeye definitely would not have approved of the spinach if he could have seen it under a microscope before it underwent irradiation -- the spinach contained 5 million colonies of E.coli bacteria per gram.
"You would have been better off to have a cow come and dump on it," said David Corbin, chairman and chief executive officer of the Sadex Corp.
Officials at the Sadex Corp. irradiated the highly contaminated spinach at the Sioux City plant, 2650 Murray St.
Then they ate it like candy.
"It was very good," Corbin said. "I didn't notice any difference."
Harlan Clemmons, president and chief operating officer of the Sadex Corp., agreed with Corbin.
"It had a good crunch to it," Clemmons said. "I didn't even have to put much dressing on it."
Although the spinach started the day at 5 million colonies of E.coli bacteria per gram, after irradiation, it had 50 to 70 colonies per gram -- not enough to make humans sick.
"That's why Harlan and I were highly confident in our spinach-eating ability," Corbin said.
The Sadex officials performed this spinach-eating feat to demonstrate their confidence in electronic pasteurization (irradiation) technology for ready-to-eat foods. Electron-beam irradiation works on the same principle as a giant television set. Electrons ride across a radio frequency in two beams aimed at the product, killing dangerous microbes.
Irradiation could have prevented recent infections of E.coli bacteria linked to contaminated spinach, executives said.
Sadex officials want the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to approve the application of irradiation for use on ready-to-eat foods such as spinach.
Irradiation technology is used in about 40 countries worldwide. In the United States, the only obstacle preventing irradiation of ready-to-eat foods is the FDA, Sadex officials said.
"Irradiation is a well-known and FDA-approved technology used on animal feed, meat and poultry," Corbin said. "This technology can prevent food-borne illness, and we believe it is a great way to protect the nation's food supply. Had the nation's supply of spinach been irradiated, the most recent E.coli scare could have been minimized."
Paul Driskell, managing director of government and regulatory affairs for the Sadex Corp., said the FDA has not approved of irradiation for ready-to-eat foods simply because of "bureaucratic inaction."
There are also consumer misconceptions about irradiation -- that it is not safe or that it zaps the nutrition out of food.
That is simply not true, Sadex executives said, and they have mountains of independent research to back up their claims.
As of Wednesday afternoon, neither Corbin nor Clemmons were sick, proving they had as much brains as Popeye had buff.
Journal staff writer Nicole Paseka can be reached at 712-293-4276 or nicolepaseka@siouxcityjournal.com.
Popeye definitely would not have approved of the spinach if he could have seen it under a microscope before it underwent irradiation -- the spinach contained 5 million colonies of E.coli bacteria per gram.
"You would have been better off to have a cow come and dump on it," said David Corbin, chairman and chief executive officer of the Sadex Corp.
Officials at the Sadex Corp. irradiated the highly contaminated spinach at the Sioux City plant, 2650 Murray St.
Then they ate it like candy.
"It was very good," Corbin said. "I didn't notice any difference."
Harlan Clemmons, president and chief operating officer of the Sadex Corp., agreed with Corbin.
"It had a good crunch to it," Clemmons said. "I didn't even have to put much dressing on it."
Although the spinach started the day at 5 million colonies of E.coli bacteria per gram, after irradiation, it had 50 to 70 colonies per gram -- not enough to make humans sick.
"That's why Harlan and I were highly confident in our spinach-eating ability," Corbin said.
The Sadex officials performed this spinach-eating feat to demonstrate their confidence in electronic pasteurization (irradiation) technology for ready-to-eat foods. Electron-beam irradiation works on the same principle as a giant television set. Electrons ride across a radio frequency in two beams aimed at the product, killing dangerous microbes.
Irradiation could have prevented recent infections of E.coli bacteria linked to contaminated spinach, executives said.
Sadex officials want the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to approve the application of irradiation for use on ready-to-eat foods such as spinach.
Irradiation technology is used in about 40 countries worldwide. In the United States, the only obstacle preventing irradiation of ready-to-eat foods is the FDA, Sadex officials said.
"Irradiation is a well-known and FDA-approved technology used on animal feed, meat and poultry," Corbin said. "This technology can prevent food-borne illness, and we believe it is a great way to protect the nation's food supply. Had the nation's supply of spinach been irradiated, the most recent E.coli scare could have been minimized."
Paul Driskell, managing director of government and regulatory affairs for the Sadex Corp., said the FDA has not approved of irradiation for ready-to-eat foods simply because of "bureaucratic inaction."
There are also consumer misconceptions about irradiation -- that it is not safe or that it zaps the nutrition out of food.
That is simply not true, Sadex executives said, and they have mountains of independent research to back up their claims.
As of Wednesday afternoon, neither Corbin nor Clemmons were sick, proving they had as much brains as Popeye had buff.
Journal staff writer Nicole Paseka can be reached at 712-293-4276 or nicolepaseka@siouxcityjournal.com.
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Kendall wrote on Mar 27, 2007 2:17 PM: