WASHINGTON, D.C. - Certain
chemicals added to the water used
in processing cans of meat and
poultry product are now classified
as nonfood compounds rather than
food additivies under a new rule
U.S. Department of Agriculture
rule.
According to Donald L. Houston,
administrator of USDA’s Food
Safety and Inspection Service,
processors add chemicals to
cooking and cooling- water to
USDA reclassifies chem. agents as “non food”
prevent staining of the cans and to
control corrosion and deposit
formation on processing equip
ment. These problems occur when
minerals and oxygen in the water
react with metal, Houston said.
“Because there is no evidence
that these chemical agents ac
tually become components of food,
and because the Food and Drug
Administration does not classify
them as food additives, USDA is
reclassifying them as nonfood
substances,” he said. “The change
will allow a wider variety of
chemical agents to be approved for
this purpose, and this added
flexibility will result in cost
savings for industry and con
sumers.”
By law, USDA must approve all
food additives and nonfood com
pounds used in processing meat
and poultry. However, food' ad
ditivies must first receive ap
proval from the Food and Drug
Uncaster Fanning, Saturday, March 5,1983—07
Administration. Houston said the
revised regulation will reconcile
regulatory differences between
USDA and FDA in the
classification of these substances.
USDA will continue its
monitoring and approval program
to ensure the safe use of water
treatments and other nonfood
compounds in federally inspected
plants.
This action was proposed Aug. 3,
1982. Three public comments were
submitted, each fully supporting
the proposal. Notice of the final
action was published in the Feb. 10
Federal Register.
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