New Additives Permitted for Food Pathogen Control in Meat
US - Sodium benzoate, sodium propionate and benzoic acid have been approved to control Listeria in meat and poultry products.
9 May 2013
2 minute read
By: The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is amending the Federal meat and poultry products inspection regulations to remove sodium benzoate, sodium propionate and benzoic acid from the list of substances that the regulations prohibit for use in meat or poultry products.
The amendment is effective from 6 May 2013.
New uses of these substances in meat or poultry products will continue to be approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for safety and by FSIS for suitability. FSIS will add approved uses of these substances to the list of approved substances contained in the Agency's directive system.
The changes are is response to petitions from two companies to FSIS to permit the use of sodium benzoate and sodium propionate as acceptable antimicrobial agents that may be used in combination with other approved ingredients to inhibit the growth of Listeria monocytogenes in ready-to-eat (RTE) meat and poultry products.
