030330 Shaw's Supermarkets Introduces Irradiated Beef

West Bridgewater, MA - Shaw's Supermarkets, Inc. announces that as part of its dedication to food safety and product variety it will offer irradiated fresh and frozen ground beef. Starting March 16th, all 185 Shaw's stores will carry the convenient one- pound package of both irradiated 80% lean ground chuck and 93% lean ground beef that is produced by Swift & Company. Shaw's will also offer customers 2-pound packages of irradiated 90% lean ground beef patties produced by Huskien.

The irradiated ground beef is treated with electronic energy irradiation using the SureBeamŽ process. Similar to a microwave oven, SureBeam technology uses electricity as an energy source to irradiate and help to eliminate harmful bacteria such as E. coli, Listeria and Salmonella. The SureBeam patented system is based on proven electron beam technology that destroys dangerous bacteria, much like thermal pasteurization does to milk. Irradiation is approved, supported or endorsed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), American Dietetic Association (ADA), United States Surgeon General, Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, American Medical Association and other health related organizations.

"We are pleased to be able to offer our customers another choice in ground beef products," said Terry Donilon, Shaw's Spokesperson. "Irradiation helps remove the worry of E.coli and other harmful bacteria. However, Shaw's encourages customers to go the extra mile to keep irradiated fresh and frozen ground beef safe by following the same safe food handling steps as conventional ground beef: refrigerate or freeze properly, thaw in a refrigerator or microwave, separate from other raw meat and poultry, wash utensils and hands after touching raw meat and cook thoroughly."

Shaw's Supermarkets, Inc, manages 185 Shaw's and Star Market store locations and two distribution centers throughout the six New England states. The company serves more than four million customers each week and has nearly 30,000 associates. During the most recently completed fiscal year, total sales were $4.4 billion.

Swift & Company is the United States' third-largest processor of fresh beef and pork products, and the leading beef processor in Australia. The company has more than 21,000 employees worldwide.

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