SOME SAY NO WAY.

Although only eleven percent of our respondents are strongly opposed to irradiation, their concerns overlap their fears of biotechnology:

* "Regarding irradiated foods: I have had 3 cancer surgeries and much radiation. I know what it did to my system. My immune system is destroyed. Leave food alone. We don't know long-term effects."

* "I won't buy irradiated meat. Today's meat packers have much more discretion and much less inspection. Big companies have lobbied for less controls. This is why E-coli and salmonella are causing illness and death. Giving meat processors an okay for irradiation will shut down inspection entirely. They may be allowed to process diseased, dying or dead animals for consumption because it has been irradiated."

* "On irradiated or on genetically modified meat, I'll wait a few years until all ramifications have been evaluated."

* "With irradiation for meats, the industry would threaten to add harmful radiation to our environment. And would the workers in the industry be adequately protected? We know that farm workers have been poisoned by pesticides."

EDITORIAL NOTE: WE'VE BEEN TAPPING CONSUMER FEELINGS ABOUT IRRADIATION SINCE 1982. THE MAIN QUESTION CONTINUES TO BE WHETHER OR NOT CONSUMERS CAN TRUST INDUSTRY TO IDENTIFY IRRADIATED PRODUCTS AND TELL THE TRUTH ABOUT THE PROCESS. INTEREST IN BOTH SAFETY AND PURITY AND ADMISSIONS OF OUTRIGHT DECEPTION BY THE TOBACCO INDUSTRY HAVE MADE TRUST ISSUES HARD FOR THE FOOD INDUSTRY TO AVOID. STRONG AND CLEAR LABELING WILL PAY FOR ITSELF IN ENHANCED VALUE AS WELL AS ENHANCED TRUST.