Food Irradiater SureBeam Exploits Anthrax Fears

Public Citizen has taken the San Diego-based SureBeam Corporation to task for falsely claiming that its food irradiation technology can kill anthrax bacteria. "SureBeam has made these claims without any supporting scientific evidence that the company's 'electron-beam' irradiation equipment is capable of killing the anthrax bacteria or its spores," states a Public Citizen news release. "In fact, radiation is ineffective against anthrax spores, called 'endospores,' which are surrounded by numerous thick layers of material including protein and calcium." According to the San Diego Union-Tribune, "This is something SureBeam and [parent company] Titan have done before -- cloaking themselves in whatever's hot in the market." Meanwhile, the red meat and poultry industry's website, MeatingPlace.com, reports that SureBeam is opening a second facility in Glendale Heights, Illinois, offering "both electron beam and x-ray food irradiation technology."