Comment from Tony Thi

Irradiation technology seems very promising as an alternative method to use against certain pests associated with foods imported into the U.S. from foreign countries. I am curious to know whether or not the shelf life of the sweet cherry product is actually extended significantly from the reduced dose of irradiation applied. If the sweet cherry fruit is free from the presence of the Medfly and the Queensland fruit fly from the reduced radiation dose, sounds like it may prolong the time that it takes for the sweet cherry fruit to deteriorate due to a reduced risk of overexposure to unnecessary amounts of radiation. Especially when considering that food is being imported from other countries, it is necessary that they last long enough not only to be transported into the U.S. but also they need to be in reasonable “good” condition when it reaches the hands of the consumer. The implications seem to be beneficial in improving food safety as well as ensuring that the lowest amount of radiation can be applied to reduce the instances of potentially “ruining” the quality of the products if they were to be exposed to unnecessary amounts of radiation. Your proposed rule addresses the issue of reducing irradiation dose to fight against specifically Medfly and Queensland fruit fly. Would this new regulation policy also be equally effective in fighting against other types of fruit flies as well per the current required generic dose of 150 Gy? Certainly, if the administration cost can be reduced by requiring a lesser amount of radiation applied to the sweet cherry product while at the same time decreasing the chances of having the fruit change its color and texture, it should be considered. Looking for new ways to improve on the existing methods and standards of food safety is always a good progress, especially for imported food from foreign countries. Thank you for your consideration.