The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently announced that irradiated meat will soon be available to more than 25 million children participating in the National School Lunch Program. During irradiation, foods are exposed briefly to a radiant energy source, such as gamma rays or electron beams, within a shielded facility, instantly killing harmful bacteria on the food product. The sterilized meat has been available to the public since 1999, but was banned from the school lunch program. It was not until the recent approval of the May 2002 farm bill that schools were granted the option of purchasing irradiated meat.

Several interest groups, most notably Public Citizen, oppose irradiation, insisting that scientists have not conducted enough tests to ensure the procedure's safety. Critics fear irradiation may lead to the creation of carcinogenic chemical compounds or to the destruction of vitamins. Vitamin A, C, E, K and B levels are reduced during the process. Past studies indicate that irradiation may lead to higher levels of benzene exposure, chromosome damage, immunotoxicity, and kidney disease symptoms.