Use of food ingredients and sources of radiation.
9 C.F.R. § 424.21
in effectEffective: 2024-07-01(a)(1) General. No meat or poultry product shall bear or contain any food ingredient that would render it adulterated or misbranded, or which is not approved in this part, part 318 or part 319 of this chapter, or by the Administrator in specific cases.
(2)(i) Poultry products and poultry broth used in the processing of poultry products shall have been processed in the United States only in an official establishment or imported from a foreign country determined to be eligible to export such products to the United States under § 381.196(b), and have been inspected and passed in accordance with the regulations. Detached ova and offal shall not be used in the processing of any poultry products, except that poultry feet may be processed for use as human food in a manner approved by the Administrator in specific cases and detached ova may be used in the processing of poultry products if the processor demonstrates that such ova comply with the requirements of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.
(ii) Liquid, frozen, and dried egg products used in the processing of any poultry product shall have been prepared under inspection and be so marked in accordance with the Egg Products Inspection Act.
(3) Carcasses, parts thereof, and products of cattle, sheep, swine, goats, or equines may be used in the processing of poultry products only if they were prepared in the United States in an official meat packing establishment or imported from a foreign country determined to be eligible to export such products to the United States under § 327.2(b), were inspected and passed in accordance with the Federal Meat Inspection Act and the regulations under such Act (subchapter A of this chapter), and are so marked.
(b)(1) Food ingredients and sources of radiation. Food ingredients and sources of radiation listed or approved for use in the production of meat or poultry products in 21 CFR chapter I, subchapter A or subchapter B, shall be listed for such use under this chapter, subject to declaration requirements in parts 316 and 317, or subparts M and N, of part 381 of this chapter, unless precluded from such use or further restricted in parts 318 or 319, or subparts O and P, of part 381 of this chapter, or unless such use otherwise results in the adulteration or misbranding of meat or poultry products. Food ingredients and sources of radiation listed or approved for use in the production of meat or poultry products in 21 CFR Chapter I, subchapter A or subchapter B, may be listed or approved for such use under this chapter by the Administrator in § 424.21, subject to declaration requirements in parts 316 and 317, or subparts M and N, of part 381 of this chapter.
(2) No food ingredients or sources of radiation may be used in the preparation of any meat or poultry product, for any purpose, unless the use is listed or approved in 21 CFR chapter I as a direct food additive (21 CFR part 172), a secondary direct food additive (21 CFR part 173), indirect food additive (21 CFR parts 174-178), radiation source (21 CFR part 179), an interim-listed direct food additive (21 CFR part 180), a prior-sanctioned substance (21 CFR part 181), a Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) substance (21 CFR parts 182 or 184), or by a regulation in this chapter. Part 319 of this chapter also specifies other food ingredients that are acceptable in preparing specified products.
(3) No food ingredient, the intended use of which is to impart color in any meat or poultry product, shall be used unless such use is approved in 21 CFR chapter I as a color additive (21 CFR Parts 73, 74, 81, and 82) or in a regulation in this chapter.
(4) Petitions to amend 21 CFR chapter I to provide for uses of food additives, or other substances or sources of radiation necessary in the preparation of meat or poultry products, or food ingredients used to impart color to product, should be sent to the Food and Drug Administration, in accordance with the provisions of 21 CFR parts 71 or 171, as appropriate.
(5) Inquiries concerning the regulatory status under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act of any articles intended for use as components of, or in contact with, meat or poultry products, may be addressed to the Food and Drug Administration, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, 200 C Street, SW, Washington, DC 20204, or the Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service, Office of Policy, Program Development and Evaluation, Washington, DC 20250-3700.
(6) Inquiries concerning the use in specific meat or poultry products of substances that are not affirmed by the Food and Drug Administration as Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) or otherwise listed in 21 CFR part 182 or part 184, or of food or color additives listed in 21 CFR regulations for general use in foods or for use in meat, or poultry products, generally, including mixtures of such substances or additives, should be addressed to the Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service, Office of Policy, Program Development and Evaluation, Washington, DC 20250-3700.
(c) The food ingredients specified in the following chart are approved for use in the preparation of meat products, provided they are used for the purposes indicated, within the limit of the amounts stated, and under other conditions specified in this part and Part 317 of this chapter. Part 319 of this chapter specifies other food ingredients that are acceptable in preparing specified meat products. This chart also contains food ingredients that are acceptable for use in poultry products, provided they are used for the purpose indicated, within the limits of the amounts stated and under other conditions specified in this part. No meat or poultry product shall bear or contain any food ingredient that would render it adulterated or misbranded, or which is not approved in this part, or by the Administrator in specific cases.
Source: eCFRURL: https://www.ecfr.gov/api/versioner/v1/full/2024-07-01/title-9.xmlFetched: 7/26/2026