Hi Bill,

It has been a while since we've corresponded. During this time a lot has happened on the food borne illness/recall front, and from my perspective you are too busy. The amazing part is that I have not been busy enough! Evidently, the food industry, and more specifically the meat industry, has chosen to promote your services over ours. I guess you guys have better marketing talents?

The latest Cargill recall is specifically interesting because of Wegman's. Wegman's sells non-irradiated ground meat and irradiated ground meat, both from Cargill. This is the first time, to my knowledge, where one batch of meat was recalled and its sister batch was not, due to preventative processing¬Öirradiation. This probably brings up some interesting litigation issues¬Öbut that's your business¬Önot mine.

Congress does not kill bacteria. Testing does not kill bacteria. Inspection does not kill bacteria. A Super Food Agency cannot kill bacteria. Even litigation does not kill bacteria. Irradiation kills bacteria, and yet is at the very bottom of the list.

An incontrovertible fact: If the products that all of your clients ate had been irradiated, they would not have become sick. No recalls, no loss of brand names, no loss of sales, no loss of consumer confidence, and no expensive litigation. The industry is missing a sure bet. A few companies, (too few), such as Omaha Steaks, will not sell ground beef unless it has been irradiated.

I believe that the food industry is trying to sell food borne illness as the Status Quo. What I fear is that they may be succeeding. It won't be long before a new television channel is added to the line up¬Öthe "Total Recall Channel"!

Yes, I am frustrated as an irradiator manufacturer that irradiation is not being employed. But, I am more frustrated that people suffer and die when they do not have to, especially when there is an existing and practical solution. And, I am also frustrated that I have to drive an hour to my nearest Wegman's to buy irradiated ground beef¬Öthe only ground beef that I allow in my house.

Back to the subject of marketing, perhaps the slogan that would work for both of us is:

"Irradiate or Litigate"

Hoping that you have more time for vacation in the near future,

Russell

Russell N. Stein
Vice President
GRAY*STAR, Inc.
www.GrayStarInc.com

I am a quality control manager in the food industry. Our standard operating procedure (SOP) requires that every product we make must pass microbiological testing BEFORE it is shipped. The test for coliforms takes only 24 hours. Any meat packer that insists on shipping their goods prior to getting negative results on coliform tests deserves to be driven out of business. Unfortunately, the consuming public does not deserve to suffer the illnesses and deaths that result. Thank you for your efforts to make them honest. I genuinely hope that someday soon, they will put you out of business.

Sincerely considering a vegetarian diet,
Sam Grubb