As the European Union seems to be tightening up its laws on food irradiation, in the US more and more supermarkets are starting to stock irradiated meats. Hy-Vee Supermarkets has just become the latest US retailer to stock SureBeam irradiated meats.

Hy-Vee, with 188 stores in seven states, is the first major food retailer in the Midwest region to offer case-ready fresh ground beef processed with SureBeam Corporation's electron beam technology, a process that uses ordinary electricity to safely eliminate the threat of dangerous bacteria from food products.

"We are excited to offer our Hy-Vee customers a choice of purchasing SureBeam processed fresh ground beef because we strongly believe that it's the best technology in making fresh food as safe as possible," said Ray Stewart, executive vice president, perishables, for Hy-Vee. "The time is right for us to offer this choice to consumers."

Hy-Vee is selling SureBeam processed fresh ground beef in five packages: 85 and 90 per cent lean tray packs, 85 and 90 per cent lean rolls and 93 per cent lean patties.

Similar to a microwave oven, SureBeam technology uses electricity as an energy source to irradiate and to help eliminate bacteria such as E. coli, Listeria, and Salmonella. The system uses electron beam technology that destroys dangerous bacteria, much like thermal pasteurisation does to milk.

SureBeam processed ground beef and fruit products are sold in supermarkets across the US, as well as by home delivery, direct mail and through food service.

Hy-Vee is one of the nation's top 15 supermarket retailers and operates stores located in a seven state area. With 188 stores, Hy-Vee operates in Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota and Minnesota, and is headquartered in West Des Moines, Iowa.