[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 39 (Tuesday, February 27, 1996)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 7227]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-4414]
========================================================================
Proposed Rules
Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________
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.
========================================================================
Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 39 / Tuesday, February 27, 1996 /
Proposed Rules
[[Page 7227]]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food Safety and Inspection Service
9 CFR Parts 319 and 381
[Docket No. 92-024E]
RIN 0583-AB51
Food Standards: Requirements for Processed Meat and Poultry
Products Named by Use of an Expressed Nutrient Content Claim and a
Standardized Term--Extension of Comment Period
AGENCY: Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice; extension of comment period.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is extending the
comment period for the proposed rule, ``Food Standards: Requirements
for Processed Meat and Poultry Products Named by Use of an Expressed
Nutrient Content Claim and a Standardized Term'' for an additional 90
days. This action responds to requests to allow additional time for
comments.
DATES: Comments must be received on or before May 28, 1996.
ADDRESSES: Written comments should be sent in triplicate to, Policy,
Evaluation and Planning Office, Attn: FSIS Docket Clerk, DOCKET No. 92-
024P, Room 4352, South Building, Food Safety and Inspection Service,
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC 20250. Oral comments as
provided by the Poultry Products Inspection Act should be directed to
Mr. Charles R. Edwards, Director, Product Assessment Division, at (202)
254-2565.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Mr. Charles R. Edwards, Director, Product Assessment Division,
Regulatory Programs, Food Safety and Inspection Service, U.S.
Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC 20250, (202) 254-2565.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On December 29, 1995, FSIS published the
proposed rule ``Food Standards: Requirements for Processed Meat and
Poultry Products Named by Use of an Expressed Nutrient Content Claim
and a Standardized Term'' (60 FR 67474). The rule proposes to establish
a general definition and standard of identity for standardized meat and
poultry food products that have been modified to qualify for use of
certain expressed nutrient content claims as part of the product name.
These products would be identified by a nutrient content claim, such as
``fat free,'' in conjunction with an appropriate standardized product
name, e.g., ``fat free frankfurter.'' The general standard proposes to
set requirements that would allow for modified versions of standardized
meat and poultry food products, i.e., ``substitute standardized
products.'' These products would be formulated and processed with
ingredients otherwise not in, or in amounts greater than that allowed
by FSIS regulatory food standards in 9 CFR parts 319 and 381, subpart
P.
FSIS reiterates that the standard of identity proposed would
require that a modified meat or poultry product: (1) In general,
possess performance characteristics that are similar to those of the
product for which it substitutes, (2) contain the stipulated amount of
a mandatory ingredient (e.g., meat or poultry) that is required to be
in the traditional standardized food, and (3) is labeled to convey the
allowed differences between the substitute and standardized product.
FSIS will be considering broader reform of its standards system
that would provide firms greater flexibility in product formulation
while fully informing consumers regarding the content of the product.
As part of its overall standards reform strategy, FSIS is developing an
Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPR) that will ask questions
and solicit information about alternative regulatory approaches to
standards including revising or eliminating meat and poultry content
requirements.
In the interest of receiving information pertaining to food
standards, FSIS is extending the comment period for the proposed rule
an additional 90 days. This action responds to requests to extend the
comment period.
Done at Washington, DC, on: February 22, 1996.
Michael R. Taylor,
Acting Under Secretary for Food Safety.
[FR Doc. 96-4414 Filed 2-22-96; 3:35 pm]
BILLING CODE 3410-DM-M
