SteriGenics International, Inc. Responds to USDA Announcement Regarding The Use of Irradiation
PR Newswire - February 12, 1999 15:52
FREMONT, Calif., Feb. 12 /PRNewswire/ -- SteriGenics International, Inc. (Nasdaq: STER) commented today on the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) proposed ruling regarding the use of radiation for the purpose of treating red meat products. According to the USDA, the draft guidelines governing the commercial use of radiation for the purpose of treating refrigerated or frozen uncooked meat and some meat products, will be published in the Federal Register within 10 days, after which there will be a sixty-day public comment period -- the minimum allowed under Federal rule. The irradiation of red meat, approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in December 1997, is a cold pasteurization process by which harmful bacteria, such as E. coli O157:H7, listeria, salmonella, and campylobacter, are eliminated.
"The Government's approval of irradiation is a significant milestone in our nation's quest for safe food," stated James F. Clouser, President and CEO. "Irradiation has been one of the most thoroughly studied food treatments in history. It has undergone more than 40 years of scientific and medical research and has been used safely for decades. The subject of food irradiation is not a controversy in science. No group of scientists or health care professionals has ever looked at the topic of food irradiation and concluded that it was anything but safe."
As with other treatment processes, however, SteriGenics maintains that irradiation is but one tool available to the food industry to fight against harmful bacteria and food-borne pathogens. "The pasteurization of red meat is analogous to the sterilization of medical devices," said D. Patterson Adams, President of the Advanced Applications Division. "As is true for the sterilization of medical products, irradiation pasteurization is most effective when used in combination with other measures employed to reduce and control food contamination. By working closely with our customers, we strive to ensure that the cleanest possible products are presented for irradiation because cleaner products require lower dosages for successful treatment. Lower dosages reduce the cost of irradiation processing and minimize the potential for adverse impact on color, taste or odor. Consequently, utilizing a combination of strategies to minimize microbial contamination before products are pasteurized with irradiation is beneficial to the consumer, the meat processor and the irradiation supplier."
SteriGenics has acknowledged its understanding of the public's wariness to accept irradiation, but has stated that the Company firmly believes that continued education and open communication between processors, suppliers and consumers will serve to demonstrate the health and safety benefits associated with irradiation pasteurization. "We believe in the technology and are committed to helping companies evaluate the process," stated Adams. "We encourage product testing and, as such, have developed an evaluation program designed specifically for the irradiation of meat products.
"The program provides for the delivery of precise irradiation dosages utilizing SteriGenics' ExCell(TM), a specialized gamma system, and the Company's electron beam facility in San Diego, California," continued Adams. "The program offers processors the ability to compare the two radiation technologies, allowing them to determine the best method and appropriate dose for their products. The program is specifically designed to allow processors to determine the dosage levels at which any deleterious effects might occur."
In addition to operating a nationwide network of contract irradiation facilities, SteriGenics designs, develops and builds gamma irradiation systems, which include state-of-the-art automated processing controls, safety systems and material handling equipment. "Because we are the only contract irradiation services provider to design and build our own irradiation systems, we have an enhanced ability to evaluate the capability of any given system with respect to the products processed," said Clouser. "As a result, we have been able to develop customized irradiation systems such as the MiniCell(TM), Gemini(TM), ExCell(TM) and OmegaCell(TM). Each of these systems was designed to address specific market requirements. We believe that our ability to offer innovative systems is key to our leadership position and competitive advantage."
According to Clouser, the Company has developed an irradiation system for the treatment of red meat, but anticipates that many processors will want to evaluate the entire process before making any decisions.
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