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Food Safety Works Colorado State University Extension
SafeFood Rapid Response Network

SAFEFOOD NEWS - Spring 2000 - Vol 4 / No. 3

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Irradiation Update

USDA's Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) final rule on meat and poultry irradiation went into effect February 22, 2000. The amended regulations permit the use of ionizing radiation for treating refrigerated or frozen uncooked meat, meat by-products, and certain other meat food products. The FSIS also revised its regulations governing the irradiation of poultry products to make them as consistent as possible with the regulations for the irradiation of meat products.

How can you tell which products have undergone irradiation? The FDA requires that irradiated foods display the radura symbol on the food label. The radura symbol contains simple petals in a broken circle.

Consumers need to handle and prepare irradiated meat and poultry the same as they would other raw products. Irradiation will not necessarily destroy all bacteria present on or in the food. For additional information on irradiation, refer to "Red Meat Irradiation" in the Winter 1998 issue of our SafeFood News.

Source: USDA Issues Final Rule on Meat and Poultry Irradiation. FSIS, USDA Backgrounders, December 1999.

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Updated Monday, August 29, 2011