A Company That Sells Irradiated Beef Is

You may love to sink your chops into a thick, juicy hamburger, only how confident are you in the safety of ground beef? Co-ordinate to Ipsos-Reid, a market research business firm based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, six of 10 consumers surveyed in 2001 are confident in the prophylactic of the ground beef they purchase at the supermarket. Additionally, six of ten consumers are confident in the safety of ground beef or burger meals ordered in restaurants.

Those percentages are expected to rise in the years ahead, thanks to ane of the most newsworthy and sometimes controversial technologies of this new century - food irradiation.

Radiation Is the Energy, Irradiation Is the Process

Irradiation breaks up bacteria's Deoxyribonucleic acid, preventing the organism from reproducing.

Food irradiation is the process of exposing food to controlled levels of a particular course of electromagnetic energy known every bit ionizing radiation. This term is used to depict these rays of energy because they cause whatever material they contact to produce electrically charged particles called ions.

Ionizing radiation is a part of the spectrum of electromagnetic energy that includes a type of free energy similar to radio and idiot box waves, microwaves and infrared radiation. Even so, the higher frequency and hence higher amount of energy produced by ionizing radiations allows it to penetrate deeply into food, killing microorganisms without significantly raising the food'southward temperature.

Within approved dosages, irradiation has been shown to kill at least 99.nine percent of common foodborne pathogens such as E. coli 0157:H7, Salmonella (various species) and others, making hamburger, poultry, processed meats, eggs and produce safer for consumers, while reducing liability for sellers.

Irradiation disrupts the DNA strands in pathogenic microorganisms, such as bacteria, yeasts and molds, thereby either destroying the organism or preventing its reproduction. Scientists frequently compare the process to thermal pasteurization of milk.

Irradiation also inactivates insect pests (particularly from fruits and vegetables) and extends production shelf life. What'southward more, many people consider irradiation a more desirable alternative to chemical or heat treatments to achieve these aforementioned results because information technology leaves no remainder or toxic by-products.

Making History

Following USDA'southward approval of a ruby-red meat irradiation protocol on December. 14, 1999, history was made in May 2000 when Sauk Rapids, Minn.-based Huisken Meats became the kickoff ground beef processor in the state to commercially market irradiated frozen basis beef. From an initial distribution in 84 major grocery stores in the Twin Cities expanse, the availability of Huisken'southward irradiated products has apace grown to include thousands of supermarkets in some 30 states.

Wegmans Food Markets, based in Rochester, Due north.Y., made headlines in May 2002 as the start supermarket chain in the Usa to introduce irradiated fresh basis beef under its own private-label brand - Wegmans Irradiated Fresh Ground Beef.

Schwan's, Marshall, Minn., began to sell irradiated frozen beef patties nationwide through habitation delivery in 2000.

Now, at least xxx U.S. retail supermarket chains, including about 10 based in Minnesota, have grabbed the billy and are known to be selling fresh and/or frozen irradiated ground beef nationwide.

The Edina, Minn.-based International Dairy Queen became the kickoff fast food chain in the nation to include irradiated hamburger patties on its menu. More 100 Dairy Queen franchises in Minnesota and neighboring states now offer irradiated footing beef following a gradual expansion, which began with just two rural Minnesota stores in February 2002.

Setting the Stage

Minnesota owes its stature in ground beef irradiation to the vision and leadership of Michael Osterholm, now director of the Heart for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota.

After Nebraska's Hudson Foods' 1997 headline Eastward. coli 0157:H7 ground beef recall, Osterholm, as the Minnesota State Epidemiologist, contacted the Minnesota Beefiness Council (MBC) and proposed that the Minnesota Department of Wellness (MDH) and the MBC work together to brand irradiated ground beef a commercial reality.

Osterholm and the MBC began the education procedure by hosting a nutrient safe issues forum in November 1997. Forum participants learned about the history of foodborne illnesses, food safety and irradiation technology. The benefits of and objections to irradiation were also discussed.

"The 'Minnesota Model' of consumer education involving product sampling, informational workshops, press releases and partnerships with public and private groups is serving as a catalyst to aggrandize the marketing of irradiated food nationwide and aid make ground beef and other foods some of the safest on the consumer's dinner table," says Ron Eustice, MBC's executive director. Currently the MBC is assisting most two dozen state beefiness councils, health departments and other groups with educational workshops, product sampling and information distribution.

"No opportunity was lost to nowadays the facts and tell consumers about the positive role that irradiation could play in stopping the spread of foodborne illness in ground beef and other foods," Eustice adds. "The MBC, in partnership with the MDH, the Minnesota Section of Agriculture and other supporters, put the critics on the defensive every time they came forwards."

Market Misconceptions

Non surprisingly, there is some public concern virtually the apply of irradiation on food products.

A minor, but song minority of people do not believe that the quality and condom of food remains unaltered after beingness exposed to radiant energy. Perhaps the biggest misconception is that irradiation makes nutrient radioactive, which merely isn't true. Notwithstanding, reality suggests otherwise. Consider the facts:

One billion lbs. of nutrient products and ingredients are irradiated annually worldwide(1);

Ninety-vii million lbs. of food products are irradiated annually in the Us(2); and

Five to x percent of all ground beef processed in the United States is irradiated(3).

"Demand for and availability of irradiated food is expected to ascent," Eustice says, "due in big part to continued media coverage of bioterrorism and meat recalls, which has heightened consumers' concerns nigh food safety."

Moreover, according to the Centers for Disease Command, each year 76 million Americans will contract a unremarkably preventable foodborne illness; 325,000 of those stricken volition require hospitalization, and nearly v,000 will die.

Inquiry shows that the key to consumer acceptance of food irradiation is teaching.

Research studies take consistently shown that the fundamental to consumer acceptance of irradiation of food products is educational activity, says Christine Bruhn, an Extension consumer food marketing specialist with the Academy of California-Davis. Most recently, a 2002 written report conducted under the leadership of Kansas State University ag economist Sean Play tricks reveals that information about irradiation has a significant effect on attitudes toward the process.

"Only 32 pct of respondents who did not receive an informational brochure with their survey class reported a positive mental attitude toward irradiation," Fox relates. "Of those who received a brochure labeled 'Based on information provided by the nutrient irradiation manufacture,' 66 percent reported a positive attitude, while of those who received a brochure labeled 'Based on information provided past the Food and Drug Administration and the United States Department of Agriculture' 76 percent reported a positive mental attitude."

The bottom line, Play a joke on summarizes, is that when given facts from reliable sources, the majority of consumers have a favorable mental attitude nearly irradiation.

Irradiation Choices

In the Usa, 3 types of ionizing radiations take been approved for irradiating food: gamma rays, high energy electrons, which are sometimes referred to as electron beams (or e-beams), and X-rays. Until recently, gamma rays have been the exclusive source of food irradiation in this country.

While these 3 types of ionizing radiations have the same furnishings on nutrient, there are some differences in how they work, says John Masefield, an executive advisor with Steris/Isomedix Services, Inc., Menton, Ohio, and chairman of the Food Irradiation Processing Brotherhood.

��Gamma ray technology uses the radiation given off by a radioactive substance, typically Cobalt lx, which is a radioactive isotope of the element cobalt," Masefield explains. "Cobalt 60 gives off high energy photons, called gamma rays, which tin can penetrate foods to a depth of several feet. It's of import to note that Cobalt threescore does not requite off particulate radiation (neutrons), which means it cannot make annihilation around it radioactive."

Electron beam and 10-ray irradiators - irradiation facilities - are operated past electricity and do not utilise radioactive isotopes. The newest engineering science is 10-ray irradiation. "This is an outgrowth of e-beam technology and is all the same existence developed," Masefield mentions.

Several X-ray irradiation units take been built in recent years; however, some experts experience this technology won't become widespread use for nutrient irradiation. That'south because the higher electric power requirement will mean higher operating costs compared to the other two technologies.

"Like cobalt gamma rays, X-rays tin can pass through thick foods, and require heavy shielding for safety. However, like e-beams, the automobile can be switched on and off, and no radioactive substances are involved," Masefield explains.

Regardless of the type of free energy source used, the actual irradiation procedure takes place at the food processing facility, after packaging in initial boxes or final cartons, or at an irradiation service heart.

Big Business organisation

Electron beam, 10-ray and gamma ray nutrient irradiation facilities are all multimillion-dollar propositions. It is possible to install a minor in-plant, or even online, irradiation processing system, just the cost will still be at to the lowest degree $2 million to $4 meg, industry insiders say.

The price per unit processed with these small systems is college than the unit of measurement processing costs in large irradiation facilities, due to lower throughputs - fewer pounds of product irradiated per year. The increase in cost for irradiated foods over non-irradiated ones is estimated at 2 to three cents per pound for fruits and vegetables and 3 to eight cents per pound for meat products.

Key Players

Nutrient Technology Service Inc., Mulberry, Fla., was the first irradiation company in North America defended to the nutrient market. Since 1993, Food Tech has been using gamma irradiation to treat a wide variety of products including spices, produce, poultry and food packaging.

Around 1994, Food Tech created the Nations Pride label to assistance food companies bring irradiated products to market, including fresh and frozen poultry, fruits and vegetables.

"In those early days, most companies didn't want information technology known that their products were irradiated," says Jim Jones, Food Tech'southward vice president of sales and marketing. "So we developed the Nations Pride label to provide them with a marketing venue that allowed them to maintain their anonymity."

SureBeam Corporation is currently the just U.S. company dedicated exclusively to developing electron beam and X-ray irradiation systems. SureBeam owns and oper-ates three commercial irradiation centers in the U.s., which are located in Sioux Urban center, Iowa, Chicago, and Los Angeles.

In addition to Food Tech and SureBeam, at least 16 companies are known to exist working on food irradiation processing or equipment manufacturing. The key players include Ion Axle Applications, Oakbrook, Ill.; Gray Star Inc., Mt. Arlington, Northward.J.; Revis Services/Puridec, U.k.; and Steris/Isomedix, Menton, Ohio.

Prominent academic institutions that are making food irradiation enquiry a loftier priority include Iowa State Academy, Ames, Iowa, which uses electron beams equally its irradiation energy source, and Texas A&M Academy (TAMU), College Station, Texas. Collaborating with SureBeam Corporation, TAMU opened a $10 million research facility in May 2002, which features electron beam and X-ray free energy sources.

"Irradiation is the most extensively researched food treatment process in the history of mankind," Masefield emphasizes.

Labeling

Radura � international symbol for irradiation

In the United States, all electronically irradiated nutrient, whether candy with gamma rays, electron beams or 10-rays must be labeled with the international symbol for irradiation, known as the radura, forth with one of several phrases acceptable to FDA and USDA, such as "Treated with Radiation" or "Treated by Irradiation."

If the irradiated product is to be used equally an ingredient in a further candy product, the radura symbol or special labeling is not required unless the irradiated ingredient is meat or poultry (i.e. "potatoes, irradiated basis beefiness, natural flavors").

Retail food service providers are not required to disclose that their nutrient products have been irradiated. However, Dairy Queen and Embers America franchises make a signal of letting customers know they serve irradiat-ed ground beefiness. This is accomplished with signs, table tents, tray liners and advisory brochures.

"From the beginning, we wanted to exist completely upfront and honest with our customers, and to educate them near the increased food safe benefits of irradiated ground beefiness," says Dean Peters, director of communications with International Dairy Queen. "Nosotros needed client feedback to help make up one's mind if selling irradiated hamburgers would be a viable and widely-accustomed long-term plan for our company and franchisees. More than 95 percent of the customers we surveyed at our lxxx restaurants responded that they are more than likely, slightly more than likely, or significantly more probable to come up back and eat an irradiated hamburger over again."

Several food industry groups and other food irradiation proponents are seeking to change the labeling requirements and to allow the use of words such as "cold pasteurization" or "electronic pasteurization" instead of "irradiation" or "radiation," which sound so much like the dreaded "radioactive."

Not bad Potential

According to the National Cattlemen'south Beef Clan, U.S. households purchased an average of 50 pounds of ground beef in 2001, which was 51 percent of all beef purchased. Basis beef represented 75 percent of all beef servings in commercial restaurants, for a total of some 8.2 billion servings. Moreover, ground beef accounted for 43 percent of all beef purchased past foodservice operators, or 4.42 billion pounds.

Since ground beef is so popular, irradiation of this staple appears to have a dynamic and limitless future.

"Irradiation will become fashionable as retailers and consumers increasingly understand that this process can exist used to improve the safety of our food supply without measurably compromising the quality or nutritional value," Steris/Isomedix's Masefield says.

"I predict that by 2010 irradiated beefiness volition be as readi-ly available equally pasteurized milk is today," MBC's Eustice says. "Irradiation is destined to become the fourth pillar of public wellness along with pasteurization, immunization and chlorination."

(1) International Consultative Group on Food Irradiation.

(ii) Full general Accounting Office study, 2000.

(three) Glenn Grimes, agriculture economist, Academy of Missouri-Columbia.

Linda L. Leake is a freelance journalist who purchases irradiated fresh ground beef at her neighborhood grocery store, Lowe's Foods, Wilmington, N.C.

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Source: https://www.agrimarketing.com/show_story.php?id=18067

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