The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the use of ionizing radiation for fresh spinach and lettuce. The health regulators feel that the technique that has been used for other foods could help control bacteria and other pathogens as well as make the greens last longer and give them better shelf life benefiting retailers and consumers.

Brian Kennedy, Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) spokesman said, “In the aftermath of the recent outbreaks, FDA wanted to fast track an important tool to help industry improve the safety of fresh produce.”

Two years ago E. coli outbreaks linked to spinach and lettuce sickened dozens of consumers and some had to be hospitalized. In severe cases the patients developed kidney failure. There have been other recent outbreaks the most recent one being Salmonella contamination in hot peppers from Mexico.

Eight years ago industry groups had sought the agency’s approval to clear a wide variety of foods, which included various types of meat and produce before allowing the agency to review certain foods first. FDA spokeswoman Stephanie Kwisnek said the agency had finished reviewing all the necessary data and was now making its decision.

Food items that are already approved for radiation treatment by the FDA are meat, poultry, spices, molluscan shellfish which include oysters, muscles and clams.

Due to their textured leaves being able to provide an ideal habitat for pests and the fact that they are mostly eaten raw, spinach and lettuce are particularly open to contaminants said the FDA.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention there are about 76 million cases of E. coli and other types of food poisoning reported every year. This food borne illness gives patients a wide variety of symptoms ranging from abdominal cramps, vomiting, nausea and diarrhea.

The Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) said in a statement that radiation offered another way to improve food safety. The FDA granted the change in response to a request filed by the National Food Processors Association (NFPA) and The Food Irradiation Coalition. The GMA and NFPA merged after filing the petition.

The FDA’s decision is said to impact a number of produce companies including Fresh Del Monte Produce Inc, Chiquita Brands International Inc and Dole Food Company Inc. to name a few. It was not clear as to how soon the food manufacturers would take before they implemented the ruling due to costs and consumers reactions.