Re: BSE and irradiation

["Zack Clayton" <zack.clayton@epa.state.oh.us>]

You're  welcome,  

Actually BSE may not be caused by an organism in the sense that we understand it.  A prion appears to be a protein that is folded differently than the normal folding pattern.  That is why I referred to them as "deformed".   Unless we go to a definition of life that includes single protein molecules, a prion could be viewed as a simple chemical agent, albeit an organic, proteinaceous agent like an enzyme.  That is why denaturing the prion would tend to denature all the desirable protein as well.

Zack Clayton
Ohio EPA - DERR
email:  zack.clayton@epa.state.oh.us
voice:  614-644-3066
fax:       614-460-8249
icq:       105931792

>>> maury@webtexas.com 01/30/01 02:28AM >>>
. . .. If I understand you both, the size of the organism
is so small that the amount of radiation required to destroy it would
likely  "destroy" the beef right along with it! 



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