Products › Irradiated Standard Diets and Bedding

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Harlan Teklad is committed to meeting the needs of research institutions that use irradiated diets and bedding. Industry demand for these products has steadily increased as biosecurity remains important and the advantages and convenience of using irradiated diets versus autoclaved diets has gained greater recognition.

Irradiation Defined - Irradiation describes the process where a substance is exposed to a source of radiation. In the case of our diet and bedding products, the source is the radioisotope cobalt-60, which emits gamma electromagnetic radiation. As the gamma radiation permeates the product, organisms living in the diet or bedding, such as bacteria and viruses, are damaged at the molecular level, often with lethal effects. The net result is a substantial reduction in the bio-burden of the product.

Quality Assurance - Our diet  and bedding products are irradiated by an independent company that specializes in irradiation. The facility where Harlan Teklad diets and bedding are processed has been audited and approved by our quality assurance team. Harlan Teklad irradiated diets and bedding are guaranteed to receive a minimum dose of 2 Mrads and a maximum dose of 5 Mrads. A certificate of irradiation is provided with every shipment of product that is processed. All products to be irradiated are labeled with a chemical process indicator that changes color from yellow to red upon exposure to radiation. This allows both Harlan Teklad and our customers to distinguish irradiated product from non-irradiated product by inspecting the packaging.