WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/TBT/Notif.99.93
12 March 1999
(99-0992)
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade
NOTIFICATION
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6.
1. Member to Agreement notifying:  UNITED STATES
If applicable, name of local government involved (Articles 3.2 and 7.2):           
2. Agency responsible:  Department of Agriculture (9)
Agency or authority designated to handle comments regarding the notification shall be
indicated if different from above:           
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [ X ], 2.10.1 [    ], 5.6.2 [    ], 5.7.1 [   ], other:           
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff heading.
ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):  Meat and meat products
(HS Chapter 2)
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:  Irradiation of Meat and
Meat Products (17 pages, English)
6. Description of content:  The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is proposing to
amend the meat inspection regulations to permit the use of ionizing radiation for treating
refrigerated or frozen uncooked meat, meat  by products, and certain other meat food
products to reduce levels of food borne pathogens and to extend shelf-life.  FSIS is
proposing this action in light of the Food and Drug Administration's recent final rule which
amended its food additive regulations to provide for the safe use of ionizing irradiation
sources to treat these same meat food products.  FSIS also is proposing to revise the
regulations governing the irradiation of poultry so that they will be as consistent as possiblewith the proposed regulations for the irradiation of meat food products.
7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where applicable:  Food
safety
8. Relevant documents:  64 FR 9089, 24 February 1999;  9 CFR Parts 317, 318, and 381.  Will
appear in the Federal Register when adopted.
9. Proposed date of adoption:
Proposed date of entry into force: } To be determined
10. Final date for comments:  26 April 1999
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [ X ] or address, e-mail and telefax number of
the other body:  The text is also available on the Internet at:
http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/index.html