FDA increases irradiation in poultry products
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have announced two final rules increasing the maximum allowable dosage of irradiation in poultry and meat products.
The rule allows in poultry, the rule clarifies the range of poultry products that may be irradiated, increases the maximum dose of ionising radiation permitted in the treatment of covered poultry products to 4.5 kGy for fresh poultry and 7.0 kGy for frozen, and removes the requirement that the packaging for covered poultry products must not exclude oxygen.
For meat products the use of a 4.5 kilogray (kGy) maximum absorbed dose of ionising radiation to treat unrefrigerated and refrigerated uncooked meat to reduce levels of foodborne pathogens and extend shelf life.
The rules are in response to petitions from USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service. Both rules take effect immediately, with hearing requests or objections due by December 31, 2012.
The full Federal Register notices are available here: Meat products; Poultry products .
