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Aug 21, 2008 10:52 am US/Central

FDA OKs Radiation To Kill Germs In Leafy Greens

CBS News Interactive: Healthwatch

WASHINGTON (CBS) ― The government will allow food producers to start zapping fresh spinach and iceberg lettuce with just enough radiation to kill E. coli and other dangerous germs, a key safety move amid increasing outbreaks from raw produce.

Irradiated meat has been around for years, particularly ground beef. But food companies long worried that zapping leafy greens with X-rays or other means of radiation would leave them limp.

The Food and Drug Administration has determined that modern irradiation techniques kill food-poisoning germs without compromising the safety or nutrient value of raw spinach and lettuce. Its new rule takes effect Friday.

In 2006, an E. coli outbreak from spinach infected 199 people in 26 states. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recorded three deaths.

E. coli bacteria in spinach can be killed by cooking it throughly at 160 degrees Farenheit for 15 seconds, according to the CDC. But the cooked vegetables must be kept away from further possible contamination.