Titan Creates Homeland Security Office, Targets Anthrax Threat

Titan Corp. of San Diego has created a Homeland Security Office to focus on providing solutions to chemical and biological terrorism, the company announced Oct. 17.

The office will bring together the resources of Titan and its subsidiary, SureBeam Corp., to provide government and commercial customers with solutions to the bioterrorism threat. For example, Titan and SureBeam will offer SureBeam's electron beam technology to eliminate anthrax contamination from the U.S. mail.

Susan Golding, former mayor of San Diego, will head the office. Golding, a board member of both SureBeam Corp. and Titan, is a consultant to Titan Chief Executive Officer Gene Ray.

The electron beam technology is used by Titan to sterilize and eliminate bacterial contamination in medical products, and it is used by SureBeam to eliminate dangerous bacteria in food. Similar to a microwave oven, the SureBeam technology, which was developed by Titan, uses commercial electricity as its energy source to eliminate bacterial threats.

The technology can electronically zap the mail or other packaging that may be used by a terrorist to transmit anthrax, eliminating in minutes that threat or any other bacterial threats. The technology can be installed in almost any processing facility, Titan said.

Titan and SureBeam are using the technology to ensure the security of their own mail, Titan said.