 991214 Sterigenics to build first U.S. food X-ray plantDecember 1, 1999 Brussels - Ion Beam Applications, a Belgian maker of particle accelerators, said its U.S-based Sterigenics unit would build the first high-volume, high- power X-ray facility for food pasteurisation in North America. IBA said the combined X-ray and electron-beam facility in New Jersey would become fully operational between September and Decmeber 2000 and would have a processing capacity of 200 million pounds of meat or other products annually. IBA said additional X-ray facilities were planned. "The food pasteurisation market using gamma and X-ray/e-beam technology is a market with high growth potential for IBA," Chief Executive Pierre Mottet said. Mottet said the potential growth for the U.S. meat market alone was estimated at betweeen one and three billion euros for the next five to 10 years. The X-ray food pasteurisation process is used to ensure the safety of meat and other food products by killing harmful bacteria such as E-coli, and extending products' shelf-life. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has already given approval for pasteurisation of red meat, poultry, fresh fruit, vegetables, grains, spices, seasonings, IBA said. It said it already had 50% of the food pasteurisation market, worth some 25 million euros.
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