Titan's Pasteurization Facility Picks Up 25% More of Ground Beef Market

The Titan Corporation (San Diego, CA) has announced that it has executed agreements with additional new customers for electronic pasteurization of their ground beef and other food products at Titan's new facility in Sioux City, IA. Last month Titan announced it had executed agreements with companies that produce approximately 50% of the U.S. ground beef market. (See related article).

The company also said that the agreements contained exclusivity provisions stipulating that these customers will be utilizing Titan's electronic pasteurization systems and services over the next several years when the companies elect to pasteurize their food products. With today's announcement, Titan has now entered into contracts with companies that produce approximately 75% of the 8 to 9 billion pounds of ground beef produced in the United States annually.

The FDA approved Electron Beam technology (electronic pasteurization) in 1997 as one of the technologies that effectively kills dangerous food borne bacteria and has previously approved the technology for chicken, pork, seafood, grains, fruits and vegetables. The USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Services final regulations for red meat are expected later this year. Issuance of the final regulations will allow Titan's new facility in Sioux City to initiate electronic pasteurization of ground beef for its customers.

"Titan is extremely pleased that the companies which produce the majority of U.S. ground beef have selected us as their provider of choice to effectively eliminate the threat of food borne pathogens in ground beef," said Dr. Gene Ray, Titan president and CEO. "In addition to electronic pasteurization of ground beef, Titan along with our strategic partner, APA, Inc., headquartered in Omaha, NE, have entered into negotiations with companies that produce a wide variety of food products including chicken, pork, seafood, juice, and other produce concerning their future pasteurization needs," he added.

The Titan Corporation is a provider and integrator of information technology, satellite communications systems and services, and medical product sterilization and food pasteurization products and services.