In response to petitions filed by USDA’s FSIS, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced two final rules increasing the maximum allowable dosage of irradiation in meat and poultry products. According to the Food Irradiation Update, FDA amended its food additive regulations to “provide the safe use of a 4.5 kiloGray (kGy) maximum absorbed dose of ionizing radiation to treat unrefrigerated (as well as refrigerated) uncooked meat” and meat byproducts to reduce the levels of pathogens and extend the shelf life of these products.