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From: storkus@arrakis.nevada.edu (Mike Storke (N7MSD))
Newsgroups: sci.chem,sci.environment,sci.physics,sci.bio
Subject: Re: Irradiated Food Ban
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Date: 7 Apr 90 00:10:51 GMT
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Reply-To: storkus@arrakis.nevada.edu.uucp (Mike Storke (N7MSD))
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  I think it's time to add my 2 cents.  When you irradiate anything with
ionizing radiation (which is what irradiated food is), just like anything else,
ionization of the molecules and atoms takes place.  IT IS ENTIRELY POSSIBLE
that this can break bonds and cause new ones to form when the electrons fall
back into place.
  But remember, this is with IONIZING radiation (X-Rays, gamma, and some short
wave UV).  Microwaves DO NOT cause ionization, and cannot cause new bonds to
form from processes other than thermal.  Microwaves are only radio waves, the
the most they do is cause currents to form and cause resistive heating (which
is how microwaving works).
  Now most of this group probably knows this already.  But I thought I'd just
bring up the facts, just to be sure.  Microwave food doesn't scare me anymore
than my 2M handheld VHF radio and microwave dishes on top of "radioactive"
mountain transmitter sites.  Mike