Steris Corp. Introduces Food Irradiation Evaluation Programs The Food Safety Division of Steris Corp. (Mentor, OH) announced this week that it has developed sensory evaluation and dosimetry testing programs to allow food processors to investigate the potential use of irradiation for their food products. The new programs, SenseEval and DoseSet, offer food processors a method for verifying the resulting sensory quality of individual products being treated by electron, gamma, or x-ray pasteurization.``The official introduction of these programs corresponds to the recent approval and commercial availability of raw meat and meat byproducts pasteurized by irradiation, and the pending approval of irradiation pasteurization of Ready-to-Eat (RTE) meat, said Bill Sanford, Steriss chairman, president, and CEO.``The SenseEval program begins with a facility audit to determine the effectiveness of upstream bioburden control technologies utilized by our customers. If the bioburden control technologies are not in place, or if they need to be enhanced, Steris will implement an integrated systems solution to control bioburden, both pre- and post-pasteurization, Sanford explained.Dr. James Marsden, Professor of Meat Science at Kansas State University and Senior Science Advisor to the North American Meat Processors Association stated, ``Research has shown that by applying state-of-the-art sanitation practices, bioburden can be minimized, allowing for the pasteurization of meat and poultry products using very low levels of irradiation.After compiling the information from the audit, the DoseSet program will define an acceptable irradiation dose based on the microbial assessment for specific products and production processes; define the process parameters to be used in feasibility trials taking into consideration packaging materials, application temperature, and the irradiation modality; treat the product using these defined parameters; and perform gross product quality evaluation to determine whether the irradiation parameters are in proximity of being acceptable.Dr. Randall Phebus, vice president of Technology at Steris FoodLabs stated, ``Scientific evaluation and verification of the acceptability of the irradiated product under the parameters defined through DoseSet have to be looked at not only immediately after testing, but throughout the products expected shelf life. Our program will incorporate the analysis of products stored under highly controlled retail display conditions, and also assist in determining what the stated shelf life should be.?P> Steris Corporation provides infection prevention, contamination prevention, microbial reduction, and therapy support systems, products, services, and technologies to health care, scientific, research, food, and industrial customers throughout the world.For more information contact Steris Corp., 5960 Heisley Rd., Mentor, Ohio 44060. Tel: 800-548-4873; 440-354-2600
