Food Irradiation is basically the process of getting Cobalt-60, a radioactive element and expose it to food. There's other kinds of processes, but this is basically it. It is supposed to kill bacteria and make our food last longer with less risks.
I thought the research was really interesting (but not the class, man...) and it made me think about where the humans are heading.
We are a bunch of animals that learned how to do tricks around death, brushing teeth and living until we are 90. These organized animals (us) are facing a limit now (and a overcoming it little by little and easily) of food, housing, support, and crappy structure... Who would guess that most part of people would live until they are 120? (maybe that's why they don't extinguish fast food and don't make incentives for exercise... they may be trying to reduce the life expectancy). So now, why not just spray uranium around and see how it goes?
I have to say I ended up agreeing with the use of that. Yes, it doesn't sound natural at all (if we still have any notion of what's natural and what's not). But what about things they do right now? The pesticides and all chemical used... I see it just as a high-tech trade.
I think it will be bad in the end. I don't know if you can feel too, but I've been always really picky about water (that in Brazil tasted better than here btw). Tiny little difference in water like exposure to sunlight, being warm, hot, cold, cold-er, all this can make it taste so different. And make you feel so different after you drink it.
The studies show that food irradiation is OK. It will reduce the vitamins and some stuff, but it wont glow in the dark. But I think the minor differences we will never be able to notice in this short run.
We are really ignorant about nature still. We feel we have so much knowledge right now, but I bet Newton felt the same when theoricized gravity. Can you imagine how Einstein felt when he developed the Theory of Relativity??
And, just as a plus, the countries that allow food irradiation have limits to the exposure and kinds of food irradiated. But.... Brasil! We are peaceful and OK with stuff. So do you want to make a caqui glow? Sure! Why not! Just sit down, grab a beer and let's watch in glow green!
(my reference to caqui is because I miss it so much... hum... juicy... I found it for sale once, but it felt like a rock)