The Titan Corporation has announced that the US Postal
Service has selected Titan to provide electron beam systems and services to
sanitize mail to eliminate the threat of anthrax contamination. The U. S. Postal
Service has also contracted to use a Titan facility to sanitize mail, using
electron beam technology. For the past eight years, Titan has used SureBeam
electron beam technology to sterilize medical products, and for the last 18
months, to eliminate dangerous bacteria in food.
Headquartered in San Diego, California, SureBeam is a leading
provider of electron beam food safety systems and services for the food
industry. The SureBeam® patented system is based on proven electron beam and
x-ray technology that destroys harmful food borne bacteria much like thermal
pasteurization does to milk. This technology can also eliminate the need for
toxic chemical fumigants used in pest control that may be harmful to the earth’s
ozone layer. SureBeam Corporation was launched by The Titan Corporation in
March, 2001. The SureBeam® consumer and environmentally friendly process uses
commercial electricity to generate a beam of accelerated electrons or convert
electrons to X-rays, which are scanned over a product to achieve pasteurization
or disinfestations in seconds. The machine is the Sure Beam System, which uses
commercial electricity to send high-energy electrons through meat for
pasteurization and medical supplies for sterilization. Increase the electrons
and it kills anthrax.The patented SureBeam process uses ordinary electricity to
generate electrons, which are accelerated to nearly the speed of light by means
of a linear accelerator. The resulting energies, ranging normally from 5 to 10
million electron volts (MeV) and coupled with 1 to 50 kW of power, have
sufficient energy to penetrate products in their final package or case
configuration.
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SureBeam Corporation also utilizes X-ray technology to
achieve the same microbial reduction. This process directs the same
electronically generated electron beam to a metal target that converts the beam
to X-rays. This process is ideal for food case configurations up to several feet
in depth. The origins of this technology can be traced back to 1895, when a
paper published by Wilhelm Conrad Roentgen described the production of X-rays.
Within a year, an article appeared that reported on the ability of X-rays to
kill bacteria. In 1948, results of experiments on 22 species of bacteria with
electrons and X-rays prompted commercial interest. This research lead to the
development of the first commercial electron beam and X-ray systems.
During the 1970s, several companies, including Varian
Associates, Phillips, and Siemens, took a new look at the application of X-ray
technology for radiographic and oncology therapy equipment. Their involvement in
the improvement of durability and reliability of accelerated electron technology
raised performance parameters to a new level.
The SureBeam System’s flexible systems provide a specific
solution for each producer’s needs. Both systems use ordinary electricity to
power the beam that pasteurizes or disinfests food. SureBeam’s patented
electron beam system has been built from the ground up using proprietary
technology to combine an electron accelerator, product handling conveyor system
and a validation and documentation system. The patented SureTrack® information
validation and documentation system guides both the operator and material
loaders through the overall process checking for the completion of each task and
verifying the integrity of the process. Bar-code scanners in conjunction with
the SureTrack system provide verification of the dosimetric level for each item.
SureTrack continuously archives all the processing information required to
substantiate the successful completion of the SureBeam process. Unlike other
technologies, the process is complete in a matter of seconds. SureBeam is a
process that is achieved by a machine. The SureBeam system uses only ordinary
electricity. It’s that simple. The system is plugged into the wall and can be
turned on and off – just like your microwave or T.V. set. There is virtually
no impact on the environment.
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