. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/N/USA/1864 
28 August 2008  
 (08-4016) 
Committee on Sanitary a nd Phytosanitary Measures Original:   English 
  
 
 
NOTIFICATION 
 
1. Member to Agreement notifying:  UNITED STATES
  
If applicable, name of local government involved:     
2. Agency responsible:  US Food and Drug Administration 
3. Products covered (provide tariff item numb er(s) as specified in national schedules 
deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers should be provided in addition, where applicable):  Iceberg lettuce and spinach 
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable :  Trading 
partners 
5. Title, language and number of pages of the notified document:  FINAL RULE.   
Irradiation in the Production, Processing and Handling of Food (avail able in English, 10 
pages) 
6. Description of content:  The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is amending the food 
additive regulations to provide for the safe use of ionizing radiation for control of food-borne 
pathogens, and extension of shelf-life, in fresh  iceberg lettuce and fresh spinach (hereinafter 
referred to in this document as "iceberg lettu ce and spinach") at a dose up to 4.0 kiloGray 
(kGy).  This action is in part ial response to a petition filed by The National Food Processors 
Association on behalf of The Food Irradiation Coalition.  
7. Objective and rationale:  [ X ] food safety, [   ] animal health,  [   ] plant protection, 
[ X ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease,  [   ] protect territory from other damage from pests    
8. International standard, guideline or recommendation:  
[   ] Codex Alimentarius Commission, [   ] World Organization for Animal Health 
(OIE), [   ] International Plant Protection Convention, [ X ] None  
If an international standard, guideline or recommendation exists, give the appropriate 
reference and briefly identify deviations:    
9. Relevant documents and language (s) in which these are available:   Publication in the 
Federal Register: Volume 79, Page 49593   
http://www.fda.gov/OHRMS/ DOCKETS/98fr/E8-19573.pdf  (available in English) 
10. Proposed date of adoption:  22 August 2008   G/SPS/N/USA/1864 
Page 2  
 
  11. Proposed date of entry into force:  22 August 2008   
12. Final date for comments:  Objections and requests for he arings must be received by 
22 September 2008. 
Agency or authority designated to handle comments:  [   ] National notification 
authority, [ X ] National enquiry point, or  address, fax number and E-mail address (if 
available) of other body: 
Submit written or electronic comments iden tified by Docket No. FDA–1999–F–2405, by any 
of the following methods: 
• Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov Follow the instructions for 
submitting comments. 
• Agency Web site:  http://www.fda.gov/dockets/ecomments   Follow the instructions 
for submitting comments on the agency Web site. 
Submit written submissions in the following ways: 
• Fax: 301-827-6870    • Mail/Hand delivery/C ourier [For paper, disk, or CD-R OM submissions]: Division of 
Dockets Management (HFA-305), Food and Drug Administration, 5630 Fishers 
Lane, rm. 1061, Rockville, MD 20852.    
Instructions: All submissions received must include the agency name and docket number for 
this rulemaking. All objections receiv ed will be posted without change to 
http://www.fda.gov/ohrms /dockets/default.htm
. 
13. Texts available from:  [ X ] National notificati on authority, [   ] Na tional enquiry point, 
or address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of other body: 
United States SPS National Notification Aut hority, USDA Foreign Agricultural Service, 
International Regulations and Standards Division (IRSD), Stop 1027, Washington D.C. 
20250;  Tel:  +(1 202) 720 1301;  Fax:  +(1 202) 720 0433;  E-mail:  
us.spsenquirypoint@fas.usda.gov