LOAah @ Ly MaP: WC October 23, 1953 US DOE ARCHIVES 326 U.S. ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION Or. Anthony Lopez Associate vroressor Pe a RG Doe HISTORIAN Cog; Athens, Jeorsia Box 3305 Dear Professor Lopez: Folder Food Technolory 3Jeparinent The University of ceorgia College of .gricuiture Collection //32 _#* 2, Your letter of Sctober 3, addressed to the Atomic mmergy Commission, asks for information on the effects of atomic warfare on fresh and processed foods. To the best of our ‘“<nowledge, such effects have not been studied uuring any of our nuclear weapons tests, although the U. S. Food and Orug, Administration has made some tests with drugs. Yeither the stomic nergy Commission nor the federal Civil Defense sQmiiistration was felt that any real purpose could be served by studies on food because the results can be estimated reasonably well from xnown facts. It is not to be expected that radiation, whether ,amna rays or neutrons, acting on foodstuffs will produce any deleterious results or toxic substances, even though the foods were close enouch radiation. It is by the olast, owt as far as ef-ects to the explosion to receive large deses of sucn more ilkely that the food would be destroyed if it did survive it would be perfectly edible of orimary or secondary radiation are concerned. Of concern, nowever, is the possibility that the foodstuffs would oe contaminated with radioactive debris from the bomb. Dust drawn into tne ¢ireball aay vecome highly active, and if this falls on the food it creates a »roblem as a surface contamination. That is, the food itself is not adversely affected, but the contamination, if present in hign concentration, should not be ingested. Presumably canned or packaged foods could be opened "asceptically* and the contents would ve edible. ‘ 4 "- v1 OFFICE > + © ; Some difficulty might be BEST COPYAVAILABLE GPO 16—55741-1