[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 21, Volume 3]
[Revised as of April 1, 2001]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 21CFR173.315]

[Page 130-132]
 
                        TITLE 21--FOOD AND DRUGS
 
CHAPTER I--FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN 
                          SERVICES (CONTINUED)
 
PART 173--SECONDARY DIRECT FOOD ADDITIVES PERMITTED IN FOOD FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION--Table of Contents
 
                   Subpart D--Specific Usage Additives
 
Sec. 173.315  Chemicals used in washing or to assist in the peeling of fruits and vegetables.

    Chemicals may be safely used to wash or to assist in the peeling of 
fruits and vegetables in accordance with the following conditions:
    (a) The chemicals consist of one or more of the following:
    (1) Substances generally recognized as safe in food or covered by 
prior sanctions for use in washing fruits and vegetables.
    (2) Substances identified in this subparagraph and subject to such 
limitations as are provided:

[[Page 131]]



------------------------------------------------------------------------
               Substances                          Limitations
------------------------------------------------------------------------
A mixture of alkylene oxide adducts of   May be used at a level not to
 alkyl alcohols and phosphate esters of   exceed 0.2 percent in lye-
 alkylene oxide adducts of alkyl          peeling solution to assist in
 alcohols consisting of: -       the lye peeling of fruit and
 alkyl (C12-C18)-omega-hydroxy-poly       vegetables.
 (oxyethylene) (7.5-8.5 moles)/poly
 (oxypropylene) block copolymer having
 an average molecular weight of 810;
 -alkyl (C12-C18)-omega-
 hydroxy-poly (oxyethylene) (3.3-3.7
 moles) polymer having an average
 molecular weight of 380, and
 subsequently esterified with 1.25
 moles phosphoric anhydride; and -alkyl (C10-C12)-omega-hydroxypoly
 (oxyethylene) (11.9-12.9 moles)/poly
 (oxypropylene) copolymer, having an
 average molecular weight of 810, and
 subsequently esterified with 1.25
 moles phosphoric anhydride.
Aliphatic acid mixture consisting of     May be used at a level not to
 valeric, caproic, enanthic, caprylic,    exceed 1 percent in lye
 and pelargonic acids.                    peeling solution to assist in
                                          the lye peeling of fruits and
                                          vegetables.
Polyacrylamide.........................  Not to exceed 10 parts per
                                          million in wash water.
                                          Contains not more than 0.2
                                          percent acrylamide monomer.
                                          May be used in the washing of
                                          fruits and vegetables.
Potassium bromide......................  May be used in the washing or
                                          to assist in the lye peeling
                                          of fruits and vegetables.
Sodium n-alkylbenzene-sulfonate (alkyl   Not to exceed 0.2 percent in
 group predominantly C12 and C13 and      wash water. May be used in
 not less than 95 percent C10 to C16).    washing or to assist in the
                                          lye peeling of fruits and
                                          vegetables.
Sodium dodecylbenzene-sulfonate (alkyl       Do.
 group predominantly C12 and not less
 than 95% C10 to C16).
Sodium 2 ethyl-hexyl sulfate...........      Do.
Sodium hypochlorite....................  May be used in the washing or
                                          to assist in the lye peeling
                                          of fruits and vegetables.
Sodium mono- and dimethyl naphthalene    Not to exceed 0.2 percent in
 sulfonates (mol. wt. 245-260).           wash water. May be used in the
                                          washing or to assist in the
                                          lye peeling of fruits and
                                          vegetables.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    (3) Sodium mono- and dimethyl naphthalene sulfonates (mol. wt. 245-
260) may be used in the steam/scald vacuum peeling of tomatoes at a 
level not to exceed 0.2 percent in the condensate or scald water.
    (4) Substances identified in this paragraph (a)(4) for use in flume 
water for washing sugar beets prior to the slicing operation and subject 
to the limitations as are provided for the level of the substances in 
the flume water:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 Substance                           Limitations
------------------------------------------------------------------------
-Alkyl-omega-hydroxypoly-          Not to exceed 3 ppm.
 (oxyethylene) produced by condensation of
 1 mole of C11-C486315 straight chain
 randomly substituted secondary alcohols
 with an average of 9 moles of ethylene
 oxide.
Linear undecylbenzenesulfonic acid........      Do.
Dialkanolamide produced by condensing 1     Not to exceed 2 ppm.
 mole of methyl laurate with 1.05 moles of
 diethanolamine.
Triethanolamine...........................      Do.
Ethylene glycol monobutyl ether...........  Not to exceed 1 ppm.
Oleic acid conforming with Sec.  172.860        Do.
 of this chapter.
Tetrapotassium pyrophosphate..............  Not to exceed 0.3 ppm.
Monoethanolamine..........................      Do.
Ethylene dichloride.......................  Not to exceed 0.2 ppm.
Tetrasodium ethylenediaminetetraacetate...  Not to exceed 0.1 ppm.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    (5) Substances identified in this paragraph (a)(5) for use on fruits 
and vegetables that are not raw agricultural commodities and subject to 
the limitations provided:


------------------------------------------------------------------------
                Substances                          Limitations
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hydrogen peroxide........................  Used in combination with
                                            acetic acid to form
                                            peroxyacetic acid. Not to
                                            exceed 59 ppm in wash water.
1-Hydroxyethylidene-1,1-diphosphonic acid  May be used only with
                                            peroxyacetic acid. Not to
                                            exceed 4.8 ppm in wash
                                            water.
Peroxyacetic acid........................  Prepared by reacting acetic
                                            acid with hydrogen peroxide.
                                            Not to exceed 80 ppm in wash
                                            water.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    (b) The chemicals are used in amounts not in excess of the minimum 
required to accomplish their intended effect.
    (c) The use of the chemicals listed under paragraphs (a)(1), (a)(2), 
and (a)(4) is followed by rinsing with potable water to remove, to the 
extent possible, residues of the chemicals.
    (d) To assure safe use of the additive:
    (1) The label and labeling of the additive container shall bear, in 
addition to the other information required by the

[[Page 132]]

act, the name of the additive or a statement of its composition.
    (2) The label or labeling of the additive container shall bear 
adequate use directions to assure use in compliance with all provisions 
of this section.

[42 FR 14526, Mar. 15, 1977, as amended at 42 FR 29856, June 10, 1977; 
42 FR 32229, June 24, 1977; 43 FR 54926, Nov. 24, 1978; 61 FR 46376, 
46377, Sept. 3, 1996; 63 FR 7069, Feb. 12, 1998; 64 FR 38564, July 19, 
1999]