October 23, 2001 — Health and government officials are reportedly looking into irradiating U.S. mail to kill anthrax bacteria.

According to a report in the Washington Post, the U.S. government is considering using the sterilization process, commonly used on beef and poultry products, as a way to protect mail handlers and recipients.

“That is being explored,” Sue Brenan, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Postal Service told the Post. “We are using the latest technology in targeted areas to ensure that the mail is safe.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said that irradiation is a “safe and effective” method of preventing a number of food-borne diseases. Health officials say it is likely the process will be just as effective against deadly anthrax spores and would not leave the mail radioactive.

Jeffrey T. Barach, vice president for special products at the National Food Processors Association, told the Post that irradiation would “have the effect of basically killing them or sanitizing them.”

“There is some evidence, and some strong evidence, that irradiating bacterial spores, whether they be pathogens or anthrax spores, does a really nice jobs of destroying the sports so that they lose their pathogenicity,” Barach said.