Regulatory Aspects of Microwave Heating

The Food Safety Modernization Act of 2011, significantly increases the regulatory authorities of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) bringing under regulatory control all food and food products sold in the United States regardless of domestic or foreign origin. Thermal processing, among other types of processing, is subject to these regulations as well. Though not explicitly mentioned, microwave energy can serve as the energy source for any thermal process but must meet the same requirements set forth in the regulations to achieve a safe food product, even if those regulations were developed for a different energy source. It is therefore recommended that when development starts for a microwave-based thermal process that there is continual dialog with the FDA to allow the FDA to understand the process as it is developed and for the developer to understand the expectations of the FDA. This chapter gives an overview of the Food Safety Modernization Act. It also provides a list of parts of pertinent regulations in which thermal processing is addressed. Also discussed is the FDA Food Code which provides a sound technical and legal basis for the safe handling of food by retail food services. Though not regulatory, it is used as a model regulation by local food control jurisdictions, and it directly addresses the use of microwave energy in various parts.