FDA approves viruses as food additive in processed meats

Email this article to a friend

Printable Version

Articles Related to This Article: • The Honest Food Guide empowers consumers with independent information about foods and health • Interview with "Kevala" Karen Parker, master raw foods chef • Cigarettes, Lies, and Pet Food Advertising Support NaturalNews advertisers - Advertise with NaturalNews Help support NaturalNews with health books and educational programs from Truth Publishing: • Swine Flu Advanced Preparedness • 8 Weeks to Vibrant Health • Raw In Ten Minutes (recipes) • How to Halt Diabetes in 25 Days ... and much more.

(NaturalNews) The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently approved a food additive to be used on meat products such as cold cuts and hot dogs, which contains six types of viruses meant to kill bacteria.

The virus mixture would be sprayed onto meat products, where it would target the pathogenic bacteria Listeria monocytogenes, which infects about 3,000 people a year and results in 500 deaths, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The most at-risk groups include pregnant women and their fetuses, older people and people with compromised immune systems.

Symptoms of listeriosis include fever, muscle aches and sometimes nausea or diarrhea. If the infection spreads to the nervous system, it can lead to confusion, loss of balance, convulsions and stiff neck.

The FDA says the spray-on viruses -- produced by Baltimore-based Intralytix -- only target Listeria and do not affect any other bacteria. Though the agency was initially concerned that the viruses would leave behind residue after its use, it says testing did not reveal any residues.

Andrew Zajac of the FDA's Office of Food Additive Safety says the virus spray shouldn't affect the quality of the products on which it is used, and consumers likely won't notice a difference in color or taste.

Intralytix is currently seeking FDA approval of another virus food additive meant to kill the E. coli bacteria.

###

Get articles like this delivered to you FREE in our popular email newsletter

Related CounterThink Cartoons:

Related Articles: • The Honest Food Guide empowers consumers with independent information about foods and health • Interview with "Kevala" Karen Parker, master raw foods chef • Cigarettes, Lies, and Pet Food Advertising	Take Action: Support NaturalNews.com Email this article to a friend Share this article on: NewsVine | digg | del.icio.us Permalink to this article: http://www.NaturalNews.com/020063_food_viruses_grocery_warning.html Reprinting this article: Non-commercial use OK, cite NaturalNews.com with clickable link. Embed article link: (copy HTML code below): <a href = "http://www.NaturalNews.com/020063_food_viruses_grocery_warning.html">FDA approves viruses as food additive in processed meats</a>