Critical Reasoning

Which of the following most logically completes the argument?

The irradiation of food kills bacteria and thus retards
spoilage. However, it also lowers the nutritional value of many foods. For example, irradiation destroys a significant percentage of whatever vitamin Bl a food may contain. Proponents of irradiation point out that irradiation are no worse in this respect than cooking. However, this fact is either beside the point, since much irradiated food is eaten raw, or else misleading, since

A. many of the proponents of irradiation are food distributors who gain from food's having a longer shelf life
B. it is clear that killing bacteria that may be present on food is not the only effect that irradiation has
C. cooking is usually the final step in preparing food for consumption, whereas irradiation serves to ensure a longer shelf life for perishable foods
U. certain kinds of cooking are, in fact, even more destructive of vitamin Bi than carefully controlled irradiation is
E. for food that is both irradiated and cooked, the reduction of vitamin B1 associated with either process individually is compounded

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OA : E

I am totally clueless about this question. Tried understanding the same from OG's explanation but its not clear. Can someone please help.

If the aim is to try to prove that the proponents are telling wrong then should't we prove that either irradiation is really bad or cooking is not bad.

I initially chose C.

Can you post OE please?

Proponents of irradiation try to defend it by saying that cooking destroys just as many nutrients as irradiation: in other words, what difference does it make that irradiation destroys nutrients when cooking is at least as bad in this respect? E points out that the effects are cumulative, meaning that irradiation and cooking is worse than cooking alone.

Here's an analogy: there's no point in taking your Mastercard on your holiday to Greece: after all, you also have a Visa, which is accepted in 3 times as many restaurants and shops as is Mastercard.

Well !! you should catch the statement that irradiated foods are eaten raw.This gives a hint rightly justified by the statement E.

E states that the cumulative effect of cooking and irradiating is much worse.
Hence the OA.