EPA’s Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards presented a webinar to review EPA's proposed new actions on EtO to require more stringent emissions standards and additional worker protections. EPA’s Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention released a Proposed Interim Decision (PID) that indicates they will consider proposing a phased cancellation of EtO use on specific spices/commodities without documentation showing that alternatives are not viable and the need for EtO is critical to food safety, as well as additional controls to protect worker safety. Additionally, EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation has released proposed revisions to a second residual risk and technology review for Ethylene Oxide Emissions Standards for Sterilization Facilities: National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants to regulate room air emissions, modify standards, and require new reporting processes. The session speakers were Susan Bartow, Chemical Review Manager, EPA’s Office of Pesticide Programs, and Jonathan Witt, Environmental Engineer, EPA’s Office of Pesticide Programs.

This presentation was provided at the April 2023 Symposium in San Diego. This symposium, titled The State of Science on Traditional and Emerging Food Safety Treatment Methods, addressed the risk of Salmonella in spices and validated controls for emerging treatment methods that are available. This presentation from Will Conway of McCormick and Company includes an overview of the steam pasteurization treatment of spices.