[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 206 (Monday, October 26, 1998)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 57078]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-28543]
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Proposed Rules
Federal Register
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This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains notices to the public of
the proposed issuance of rules and regulations. The purpose of these
notices is to give interested persons an opportunity to participate in
the rule making prior to the adoption of the final rules.
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Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 206 / Monday, October 26, 1998 /
Proposed Rules
[[Page 57078]]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food Safety and Inspection Service
9 CFR Part 381
[Docket No. 97-054P]
RIN 0583-AC28
Retained Water in Raw Meat and Poultry Products; Poultry Chilling
Performance Standards
AGENCY: Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Correction to proposed rule.
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SUMMARY: This document contains corrections to the proposed rule
(Docket No. 97-054P) which was published Friday, September 11, 1998 (63
FR 48961). The proposed rule would limit the amount of water retained
by raw, single-ingredient, meat and poultry products as a result of
post-evisceration processing, such as carcass washing and chilling. The
proposed rule also would revise the poultry chilling regulations to
remove ``command-and-control'' features and make them consistent with
current technological capabilities, good manufacturing practices, and
the pathogen reduction/hazard analysis and critical control points (PR/
HACCP) regulations.
DATES: Comments must be received on or before December 10, 1998.
ADDRESSES: Submit one original and one copy of written comments to
Docket Clerk, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and
Inspection Service, Room 102, 300 12th Street, SW., Washington, DC
20250-3700. Please refer to docket number 97-054P in your comments. All
comments submitted in response to this proposal, as well as research
and background information used by FSIS in developing this document,
will be available for public inspection in the Docket Clerk's Office
between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Patricia F. Stolfa, Assistant Deputy
Administrator, Office of Policy, Program Development, and Evaluation,
Food Safety and Inspection Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture,
Washington DC 20250-3700: (202) 205-0699.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The proposed rule that is the subject of these corrections would
limit the amount of water retained by raw, single ingredient, meat and
poultry products as a result of post-evisceration processing, such as
carcass washing and chilling. Meat and poultry carcasses and parts
would not be permitted to contain water resulting from post-
evisceration processing unless the establishment demonstrates that
water retention is necessary to meet applicable food safety
requirements, such as pathogen reduction performance standards. In
addition, the establishment would have to disclose on the product label
the maximum percentage of retained water that could be in the product.
FSIS is also proposing to revise the poultry chilling regulations
to improve consistency with the Pathogen Reduction/Hazard Analysis and
Critical Control Points (PR/HACCP) regulations, eliminate ``command-
and-control'' features, and reflect current technological capabilities
and good manufacturing practices.
Need for Correction
As published, the proposed rule contained errors in the regulatory
text that could prove to be misleading because they reflect unintended
changes in the current regulations and are inconsistent with the
preamble explanation.
Correction of Publication
Accordingly, the publication on September 11, 1998, of the proposed
rule (Docket No. 97-054P), which was the subject of FR Docket 98-24309,
is corrected as follows:
Sec. 381.65 [Corrected]
Paragraph 1. On page 48968, in the third column, in Sec. 381.65,
after paragraph (e)(2), paragraph (f) is added to read:
``(f) Poultry carcasses contaminated with visible fecal material
shall be prevented from entering the chilling tank.''
Sec. 381.66 [Corrected]
Paragraph 1. On page 48969, in the first column, paragraph (c)(3)
is revised to read as follows:
``(c)(3) Previously chilled poultry carcasses and major portions
shall be maintained constantly at 40 deg.F or below until removed from
the vats or tanks for immediate packaging. Such products may be removed
from the vats or tanks prior to being cooled to 40 deg.F or below, for
freezing or cooling in the official establishment. Such products shall
not be packed until after they have been chilled to 40 deg.F or below,
except when the packaging will be followed immediately by freezing at
the official establishment.''
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Dated: October 20, 1998.
Thomas J. Billy,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 98-28543 Filed 10-23-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-DM-P
