[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 91 (Thursday, May 10, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23943-23944]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-11733]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Food and Drug Administration

[Docket No. 99F-5522]


Food Irradiation Coalition c/o National Food Processors 
Association; Filing of Food Additive Petition; Amendment

AGENCY: Food and Drug Administration, HHS.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is amending the filing 
notice for a food additive petition filed by the National Food 
Processors Association (NFPA) on behalf of The Food Irradiation 
Coalition, to provide for the safe use of ionizing radiation for 
control of food-borne pathogens, and extension of shelf-life, in a 
variety of human foods up to a maximum irradiation dosage of 4.5 
kilograys (kGy) for non-frozen and non-dry

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lane A. Highbarger, Center for Food 
Safety and Applied Nutrition (HFS-206), Food and Drug Administration, 
200 C St. SW., Washington, DC 20204, 202-418-3032.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In a notice published in the Federal 
Register of January 5, 2000 (65 FR 493), FDA announced that a food 
additive petition (FAP 9M4697) had been filed by the NFPA on behalf of 
The Food Irradiation Coalition, 1350 I St. NW., suite 300, Washington, 
DC 20005, proposing that the food additive regulations in part 179 
Irradiation in the Production, Processing and Handling of Food (21 CFR 
part 179) be amended to provide for the safe use of ionizing radiation 
for control of food-borne pathogens, and extension of shelf-life, in a 
variety of human foods up to a maximum irradiation dosage of 4.5 kGy 
for non-frozen and non-dry products, and 10.0 kGy for frozen or dry 
products, including: (1) Pre-processed meat and poultry; (2) both raw 
and pre-processed vegetables, fruits, and other agricultural products 
of plant origin; (3) certain multi-ingredient food products. The notice 
stated that the petition does not cover products composed in whole or 
in part of raw meat, poultry, or fish nor does it cover ``ready-to-
eat'' fish products or ingredients made from fish.
    Subsequent to the publication of the filing notice, FDA learned 
from discussions with NFPA that the petitioner intended to include in 
the scope of the petition certain multi-ingredient products that 
contain uncooked meat or poultry. In particular, the petitioner noted a 
clarifying letter, dated October 18, 1999, that it had submitted prior 
to FDA's filing the petition, that mentioned certain foods, such as 
country hams and dry and semi-dry sausages, as examples of foods 
intended to be within the scope of the petition. In preparing the 
filing notice, FDA did not recognize that these products are uncooked 
and, thus, mistakenly excluded such products by virtue of the exclusion 
for food containing raw meat or poultry. The petitioner recently 
informed FDA that the January, 2000, filing notice would

[[Page 23944]]

appear to restrict the scope of the petition and that it was (and is) 
the petitioner's intent that multi-ingredient meat products (whether 
containing cooked or uncooked meat or poultry) be included in the scope 
of the pending petition.
    Therefore, FDA is amending the filing notice of January 5, 2000, to 
indicate that the petitioner has requested that the food additive 
regulations be amended to permit the irradiation of multi-ingredient 
foods containing uncooked meat or poultry.
    The agency has determined under 21 CFR 25.32(i) that this action is 
of a type that does not individually or cumulatively have a significant 
effect on the human environment. Therefore, neither an environmental 
assessment nor an environmental impact statement is required.

    Dated: April 20, 2001.
Alan M. Rulis,
Director, Office of Premarket Approval, Center for Food Safety and 
Applied Nutrition.
[FR Doc. 01-11733 Filed 5-9-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-01-S