[gardeners] Mail sterilization
George Shirley (gardeners@globalgarden.com)
Tue, 30 Oct 2001 08:20:56 -0600
Was just watching the Fox news channel on satellite and they were interviewing the gentleman who is
head of Titan Corp. Titan makes the electron beam equipment that will be and is used to kill
bacteria such as anthrax on the US mail. He stated flatly that there is no reason to suspect that
seeds that go through the mail will be harmed by the technology. He says it kills bacteria only and
doesn't harm anything else.
This should allay some fears that mailing seeds around the country and around world will cease and
that the seedsmen will no longer be able to mail seeds to us.
Dr. Ray also said that we aren't going to glow in the dark because our mail has been irradiated. No
ionizing radiation is used in the process. The machinery uses commercial electricty, strips the
electrons out of it and puts them through whatever is in the beam, killing bacteria. The equipment
has been in use for years sterilizing medical equipment.
Hope this helps.
George