Dive Summary:

• The FDA recently amended irradiation legislation, allowing for unrefridgerated meat to be irradiated as well as increasing the allowed dosage in poultry from 3.0 kGy to 4.5 kGy.
• These came in response to a petition in 1999 calling for the increases which, as the FDA insists, poses no elevated health risks to consumers.
• There is major opposition to the amendment, as many consumer interest groups are against irradiation of any kind, however the FDA found no credibility in their arguments.

From the article:

Irradiation is considered a food additive because it is a process that “can affect the characteristics of the food,” explains the agency. The treatment therefore falls under the jurisdiction of FDA, which regulates all additives, even though FSIS oversees meat safety.