Food Additives for Use in Meat and Poultry Products: Sodium Diacetate, Sodium Acetate, Sodium Lactate and Potassium Lactate

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is amending the Federal meat and poultry products inspection regulations to increase permissible levels of sodium acetate as a flavor enhancer in meat and poultry products and of sodium diacetate as a flavor enhancer and as an inhibitor of the growth of certain pathogens. FSIS is also permitting the use of sodium lactate and potassium lactate in meat and poultry products, except for infant formulas and infant food, for purposes of inhibiting the growth of certain pathogens. FSIS is proceeding with this direct final rule in response to petitions submitted by Armour Swift-Ekrich and Purac America, Inc.