FDA Allows Irradiation of Shellfish to Control Foodborne Pathogens
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today announced that it is amending its current food additive regulations to allow the safe use of ionizing radiation on crustaceans (e.g., crab, shrimp, lobster, crayfish, and prawns) to control foodborne pathogens and extend shelf life.
In a Center for Food Safety and Nutrition (CFSAN) Constituent Update, the agency said its action responds to a food additive petition submitted by the National Fisheries Institute. "Our decision is based on a rigorous safety assessment that considered 1) potential toxicity, 2) the effect of irradiation on nutrients, and 3) potential microbiological risk that may result from treating crustaceans with ionizing radiation," agency officials explained. The evaluation also considered previous evaluations of the safety of irradiation of other foods including poultry, meat, molluscan shellfish, iceberg lettuce, and fresh spinach. This rule covers raw, frozen, cooked, partially cooked, shelled, or dried crustaceans, or cooked, or ready-to-cook, crustaceans processed with spices or small amounts of other food ingredients.