Scientific review of a proposed expansion of the use of irradiation for most foods is nearing completion, Jeffrey Barach of the National Food Processors Association (NFPA) told attendees at July's Institute of Food Technologists annual meeting, and USDA inspectors are gearing up for possible applications of the technology to control Listeria monocytogenes in ready-to-eat meats.
FDA researchers subsequently discovered even higher levels of furan in a wide variety of heat-processed foods, including baby food, Pauli reported. Those findings are under review by the FDA's Food Advisory Committee and Dietary Supplements Subcommittee.