FDA issues guidelines for companies to use "pasteurized" on labels of irradiated foods Oct 8, 2002 WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. food companies can seek federal approval to avoid using the word "irradiation" on labels of foods treated with the disease-killing process, and instead use language such as "cold pasteurization," the Food and Drug Administration said on Tuesday. [omitted text] The six-year U.S. farm law, implemented in May, required the FDA to consider easing its labeling requirements. In its industry guidelines, the FDA said any company can apply to revise its irradiation labels as long as the new label is not false or misleading. In its petition, a food company must submit consumer research that shows a comprehension of the proposed label. OCA note: We wonder how the companies will manipulate the research to get what they want. In contrast, three clusters of focus groups studied under funding by the USDA and FDA in the last 2 years (and thus independent of industry) have said overwhelmingly that 'alternate' terms like "pasteurization' are misleading, and they preferred "irradiation." Source: Public Citizen's "Food Irradiation Alert!" August/September 2002. The FDA said it will either accept or deny the application within six months. An FDA spokeswoman said the agency was expected to soon publish proposed changes to the current labeling requirements.