991144 SteriGenics Offers X-Ray Food PasteurizationNovember 15, 1999Memphis, TN - SteriGenics International, Inc., an IBA company (Ion Beam Applications s.a.) announced plans to establish the first high-volume, high- power x-ray facility for food pasteurization in North America. The x-ray food pasteurization process is a technology that ensures the safety of meat and other food products. The process exposes food to a carefully measured amount of x-rays, which kill harmful bacteria such as E. coli 0157:H7, Campylobacter, Salmonella and Listeria. Additionally, the shelf life of many foods is extended, thereby increasing the value to consumers. In addition to its x-ray capabilities, the SteriGenics facility will also offer electron beam (e-beam) processing. The combined x-ray and e-beam facility will be located in Bridgeport, N.J., and is scheduled to be fully operational in the fourth calendar quarter of 2000. The state-of-the-art facility will feature IBA's proprietary Rhodotron(r) accelerator technology, which can deliver both e- beam and x-ray processes from a single machine at different voltage levels. Additional x-ray facilities are planned at sites to be announced. “This x-ray facility will be a tremendous new tool in the continuing effort by the food processors in this country to provide the safest food supply in the world,” said Pat Adams, President of the Food Safety Division for the IBA family of companies. “Food pasteurization with x-rays offers many benefits to food processors. X-ray pasteurization effectively processes products that are too thick to be processed with e-beam and allows products to be processed in their standard finished cartons, eliminating increased packaging costs and handling expenses.” X-ray pasteurization of food uses electricity as its source of energy, similar to the e-beam process. However, x-ray technology allows food processors greater flexibility and penetration. Because products can be pasteurized in their standard cartons and cases with no repackaging or recasing, processors will not have to change their product or distribution configurations. The x-ray process is expected to be the preferred cold pasteurization method for many of the processed food providers once Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) approve the Food Irradiation Coalition's petition submitted in August 1999. “Our New Jersey facility offers the food industry the first opportunity to conduct large volume market tests with x-ray technology,” said Adams. “We have already experienced a high level of interest in this technology from some of the nation's top food processors.” The New Jersey facility is expected to have the capability to process 200 million pounds of meat or other food products annually. Currently, fresh fruits, vegetables, grains, spices, seasonings and poultry have been approved for irradiation treatment in the United States. The FDA approved red meat in December 1997. Final processing guidelines from the USDA are anticipated this year that will allow the nation's meatpackers and processors to market safer fresh and frozen raw meats through the use of cold pasteurization. As a part of the IBA group of companies, SteriGenics is the only company that designs, builds and operates its own x-ray, e-beam and gamma systems and facilities. With SteriGenics, companies have the option to either purchase equipment for on-site use, or utilize SteriGenics' service centers. In addition, SteriGenics will operate and maintain equipment on site. SteriGenics has offered food irradiation services since the early 1980s and presently operates more irradiation service centers around the world than any other company.
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