FINAL IRRADIATION RULES FOR MEAT ARE PUBLISHED

ROBERT VOSBURGH

WASHINGTON -- The final rules outlining the requirements for the manufacture and sale of irradiated meat include additional details on labeling requirements that will help determine how such products are sold at the retail-store level.

According to the statement published in the Federal Register by the Food Safety and Inspection Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture here, the regulations -- going into effect Feb. 22 -- mandate that packages include a green international radura symbol must be accompanied by a simple declarative statement, such as "Treated by irradiation." Both must be "placed prominently and conspicuously ... as a qualifier contiguous to the product name," officials wrote in the statement.

However, in a bow to the meat industry -- which fears such simplistic labeling will scare away consumers who harbor Cold War-images of radiation -- the final rule permits "optional" labeling statements about the purpose for the process. In this manner, retailers might be able to specify that product coming from a processor includes qualifiers such as "Treated by irradiation to kill harmful bacteria," or "...for your protection."

If the label makes specific claims about a reduction in microbial pathogens, the claim must be documented and on file, and accessible to regulators or consumers, the statement noted.

In regard to unpackaged meats, such as those sold in service cases in supermarkets, the FSIS stipulates that food products irradiated in their entirety be merchandised with the radura logo and irradiation statement displayed "prominently and conspicuously" either through labeling on the bulk container itself or by some other appropriate method, like signage posted over or directly adjacent to the meat.

While the final rule applies to red meat, including pork, it also mandates changes in the way poultry is irradiated. Irradiation of chicken, which has been permitted since 1992, is to be updated to reflect more advanced food-safety protocols implemented since that time, including Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point programs. To that end, the FSIS is working with the Food and Drug Administration, which shares jurisdiction on many food-related issues.