The European Commission (EC) adopted a measure to permit the use of lactic acid on beef carcasses to reduce microbial contamination, according to the American Meat Institute. The measure will take effect February 25. The European Food Safety Authority conducted a risk assessment on the use of lactic acid on beef and arrived at a favorable assessment, published July 26, 2011, of the practice’s safety and efficacy. Lactic acid use has been approved at US meat facilities for several decades, and the EC’s acceptance of the technology will facilitate US-European trade.