Diestel First U.S. Organic Turkey Processor to Adopt Acknowledged Intervent Ozone Technology.

MURRAY HILL, N.J. -- Diestel Family Turkey Ranch of Sonora, Calif., has become the first U.S. organic turkey processor to incorporate into its processing operations ozone-based anti-microbial technologies from Intervent(TM). These scientifically validated and USDA/FSIS acknowledged food safety measures help Diestel assure the premium quality of its range-raised all natural and organic turkey products.

Intervent(TM), a BOC (NYSE: BOX) food safety business, offers proven ozone and ultraviolet light technologies designed specifically for use in food and beverage plants, and also provides HACCP and food science consulting services.

Intervent provides Diestel with aqueous ozone systems to treat turkey products and food contact surfaces. The technology includes a deli log and loaf sanitizer for treatment of loaf style products before slicing, cutting or packaging. The patent-pending Intervent DLS-8 Deli Log and Loaf Sanitizer uses a proprietary design that can rotate products of varied shapes, including non-cylindrical and flat, while keeping them within an aqueous ozone cascade for complete surface coverage.

Diestel Family Turkey Ranch offers turkeys and turkey products that are grown, processed, and delivered by one of the last small, family-owned turkey grower-processors in the U.S. The Diestel Family controls every part of their operation from the feed mill to the growing of turkeys on the range, to the processing at their U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) inspected facility, and the distribution of finished product directly to retailers.

Carlos Silva, manager of the Diestel Turkey plants in Chinese Camp, Calif., explains: "We are extremely satisfied to be the first organic turkey processor to use Intervent's aqueous ozone technology to treat our deli products before packaging. This technology helps us assure that our Heidi's Hens organic and all our products are safe for consumers while preserving the special, all-natural characteristics they demand. The Intervent ozone system is a cost effective process for us to use to meet USDA/FSIS requirements, especially for Listeria, with less verification sampling."

"The Intervent USDA/FSIS-validated ozone systems put Diestel on the leading edge of turkey processors; allowing Diestel to achieve Alternative 2 status per FSIS Directive 10,240.4 while still remaining all natural and organic," said Mark DiMaggio, BOC business manager, food safety markets, who manages Intervent's operations. He said that, "ozone provides the highest level of microbe and pathogen reduction and costs processors less than one cent per pound of food product."

The Intervent anti-microbial aqueous ozone system is USDA/FSIS acknowledged as a Listeria post lethality step. It provides greater than a 2-log reduction of Listeria and can be used for continuous treatment of food products, slicing blades, conveyor belts and other food contact surfaces as well as for the final rinse in plant sanitation procedures. Environmentally friendly ozonated water leaves no residual on the product and involves no product labeling requirements.

Food and beverage processors look to BOC for its experience and expertise in helping to deliver the engineered solutions they need. BOC helps customers address their atmosphere, microbe and temperature control requirements so they can deliver the highest quality food and beverages to their customers. BOC provides a range of offerings, such as ozone and UV light anti-microbial systems, cryogenic gases including carbon dioxide and nitrogen for freezing and chilling, modified atmosphere packaging, state-of-the-art food and beverage monitoring and control technologies, and water management services.

The BOC Group (NYSE:BOX), the worldwide industrial gases, vacuum technologies and distribution services company, serves two million customers in more than 50 countries. It employs more than 30,000 people and had annual sales of over $8.3 billion in 2004. Further information about The BOC Group may be obtained on the Internet at http://www.boc.com.