Tech Update:<br>Is "In-Line" the Future of Irradiation?
It wasn't long after USDA approved beef irradiation that Edgerton, Minn.-based Huisken Meats joined forces with San Diego-based SureBeam Corporation, a subsidiary of the Titan Corporation, and began irradiating ground beef products in May of 2000.
Huisken began irradiating its ground beef by shipping it to SureBeam's electronic pasteurization facility in Sioux City, Iowa. Shortly after, other large meat producers followed suit (Cargill, IBP, Emmpak and Omaha Steaks). Within a few months of Huisken's announcement, SureBeam also had another facility up and running in Hawaii, this time irradiating fruit.