The use of new technologies has resulted in significant improvements in the safety of meat, poultry, and egg products in recent years. FSIS defines "new technology" as a new, or new application of, equipment, substances, methods, processes, or procedures affecting the slaughter of livestock and poultry or processing of meat, poultry, or egg products. High Pressure Processing, Steam vacuums, steam pasteurization, and antimicrobials are all examples of advances in food safety technology that have occurred in recent years. FSIS encourages continued improvement and innovation in food safety technologies.

 FSIS believes that increasing public and industry awareness of the new technologies being used could further promote their use, by small and very small plants in particular, towards improving the safety of meat, poultry, and egg products. Establishments seeking to use these new technologies must accept responsibility for ensuring the continued safety of their workers, their products, and the environment, as well as providing the information necessary for FSIS to examine the impact of the new technology on inspection procedures and safety of inspection program personnel, specific to their establishments operation.

 When the use of a new technology would not be possible without a change in the Agency's regulation(s), the Agency may waive the regulation(s) and announce its intent to institute rulemaking to amend its regulation to provide for the new technology.

 In an effort to increase public and industry awareness of available new technologies, FSIS is providing a brief summary describing some of the new technologies that it has recently reviewed, and for which FSIS has had "no objection" to its use in FSIS establishments. This listing is updated periodically.