Among other things, we have been discussing radiation treatment of bee boxes
at http://www.honeybeeworld.com/bb/viewtopic.php?p=499#499

In looking around, I found that there are quite a few irradiation facilities
in the USA.  See http://www.steris.com/isomedix/locations.cfm .  From what I
can see, some of the facilities have pretty large carriers and should be
able to handle bee boxes.

One sobering thing I saw, though, in my brief research foray -- at least for
those of us who don't wish to think that irradiation will alter the chemical
properties of food (human or animal) significantly -- was that e-beam is
used for polymer cross-linking.  See
http://www.steris.com/isomedix/ser_ebeam.cfm.  To quote the page: "Materials
Modification by automated electron beam irradiation produces physical and
chemical improvements in your bulk polymers ", and "Electron beam
cross-linking forms a bond between polymer chains".  I'm not sure we wish to
see physical and chemical improvements' in the pollen, honey, and wax in our
hives.

Anybody on the list using any of these facilities, or know of other similar
firms?

Anybody here able to comment further on the 'physical and chemical
improvements'?

allen
A Beekeeper's Diary: http://www.honeybeeworld.com/diary/

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