The recent announcement by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to allow the use of ionizing energy for the removal of Salmonella in fresh shell eggs has prompted two Florida companies to announce a sales and marketing agreement. Hillandale Farms today announced an exclusive agreement with Food Technology Service (Nasdaq:VIFL - news) to develop and market irradiated shell eggs. "We are pleased to enter this new phase of food safety with Food Technology Service, a leader in food safety," said John Hammond, Executive Vice President of Hillandale Farms. "This latest FDA approval expands the line of food products we can make safer, which ultimately benefits the American consumers," said Pete Ellis, President & CEO of Food Technology Service. Hillandale selected Food Technology's gamma irradiation facility because of its ability to process shell eggs by the pallet load. "This ensures fast turnaround and a fresher product," said Hammond. "By allowing Food Technology to provide irradiation as a contract service, we are able to concentrate on sales and marketing without major capital expenditures." Food Technology Service was the first dedicated commercial food irradiator in the nation and currently irradiates ground beef, poultry, spices, fruits and vegetables, the food consumed in space by NASA astronauts, and now fresh shell eggs, for retail and foodservice customers. As the country's most experienced commercial food irradiation company, Food Technology Service is dedicated to preventing food-borne illness by working with the public health community and industry in a concerted, strategic effort to educate consumers about irradiation's role in food safety.