The Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act requires that a food that has been irradiated may not be sold in the United States unless the Department of Health and Human Services finds that the food is safe and issues a regulation specifying safe conditions of irradiation. This presentation briefly outlines the types of information needed to issue an authorizing regulation, describes the conditions under which food may currently be irradiated, and discusses the basis for current regulations.

The papers in this symposium are a reminder of the intractable complexity of the chemistry of foods

Food irradiation has been a subject of controversy since its first use as a food process. This article reviews the legislative and regulatory history of food irradiation in the United States and the role of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, then and now.This article also discusses the status of FDA's regulations on food irradiation in the production, processing, and handling of food, as promulgated in the April 18, 1986, final rule, and reviews the safety, labeling, and current good manufacturing practice.

No abstract

A three-credit, nonlab course for non-majors that uses a seminar approach.