June 21, 2002 revised July 3, 2002 revised August 27, 2002 revised Sept. 12, 2002 Action Alert: Tell Dairy Queen Not to Sell Irradiated Meat Dairy Queen is the latest corporation to jump on the irradiation bandwagon. They are testing irradiated burgers in Minnesota and plan to sell them all over the U.S. in 2003. Tell DQ that you do not want and will not eat irradiated burgers! Stop in a store and tell the manager. Call the corporate office at (952) 830-0200 (ask for customer service). Send an email to DQ. Send a sample letter (below). Sample letter: Date: Dean Peters Director of Communications American Dairy Queen Corporation 7505 Metro Blvd. Minneapolis, MN 55439 Dear Mr. Peters: As a customer of Dairy Queen, I am surprised that Dairy Queen is compromising its image of wholesomeness by selling irradiated hamburgers. Irradiation just masks contamination by E. coli and other bacteria, it doesn't get rid of all of them. In fact, irradiation encourages slaughterhouses to cut corners on sanitation. In addition, irradiation disrupts the chemical composition of everything in its path - not just harmful bacteria. Hundreds of new chemicals are formed by irradiation, including chemicals known and suspected to cause cancer and birth defects. One irradiation by-product, called 2-DCB, which has never been found to occur naturally in any food, was recently found to promote cancer development in rats, and cause genetic damage in human cells. Irradiated food under any other name is still dirty, because irradiation doesn't sterilize the food. Irradiation means feces in the food. I don't want to eat irradiated burgers or any other irradiated food. Sincerely, Name and address