[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 21, Volume 6]
[Revised as of January 1, 2003]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 21CFR579.22]

[Page 514-515]
 
                        TITLE 21--FOOD AND DRUGS
 
CHAPTER I--FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN 
                          SERVICES (CONTINUED)
 
PART 579--IRRADIATION IN THE PRODUCTION, PROCESSING, AND HANDLING OF ANIMAL FEED AND PET FOOD--Table of Contents
 
               Subpart B--Radiation and Radiation Sources
 
Sec.  579.22  Ionizing radiation for treatment of animal diets.


    Ionizing radiation for treatment of complete diets for animals may 
be safely used under the following conditions:
    (a) Energy sources. Ionizing radiation is limited to:
    (1) Gamma rays for sealed units of the radionuclides cobalt-60 or 
cesium-137.
    (2) Electrons generated from machine sources at energy levels not to 
exceed 10 million electron volts.
    (b) Uses. (1) The ionizing radiation is used or intended for use in 
single treatment as follows:

[[Page 515]]



------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Food for irradiation            Limitations             Use
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bagged complete diets, packaged   Absorbed dose: Not  Microbial
 feeds, feed ingredients, bulk     to exceed 50        disinfection,
 feeds, animal treats and chews.   kiloGrays. Feeds    control or
                                   and feed            elimination
                                   ingredients
                                   treated by
                                   irradiation
                                   should be
                                   formulated to
                                   account for
                                   nutritional loss.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    (2) If an irradiated feed ingredient is less than 5 percent of the 
final product, the final product can be irradiated without being 
considered to be re-irradiated.

[51 FR 5993, Feb 19, 1986; 51 FR 8315, Mar. 11, 1986, as amended at 58 
FR 18148, Apr. 8, 1993; 66 FR 18540, Apr. 10, 2001]