“AMI is disappointed that after more than five years of deliberation FSIS has refused to remove a roadblock for the use of a safe and proven technology that can further improve the safety of meat and poultry products,” stated AMIF President James Hodges. “FSIS cites technical reasons for the denial of AMI's petition to treat carcass irradiation as a processing aid, when the petition simply asked FSIS to initiate the process of making a labeling policy change to encourage the use of irradiation technology.

“Food safety is our number one priority and our goal is to put as many food safety tools in the toolbox as possible. Carcass irradiation is one of those added food-safety tools that if approved, would complement the many other technologies used to produce the most wholesome products possible.

“All technical issues related to how carcass irradiation is applied could have and would have been resolved during the rulemaking process to allow irradiation to be treated and labeled in the same manner as all other processing aids. Given the substantial food safety benefits this technology has proven to offer, AMI will continue to work with FSIS to resolve these labeling questions,” he concluded.

Source: AMI