[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 24 (Monday, February 6, 1995)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 6975]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-2929]



 ========================================================================
 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. 60, No. 24 / Monday, February 6, 1995 / 
Proposed Rules  
[[Page 6975]]

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food Safety and Inspection Service

9 CFR Parts 318 and 381

[Docket No. 93-008P/E]
RIN 0583-AB68


Poultry Products Produced by Mechanical Separation and Products 
in Which Such Poultry Products Are Used

AGENCY: Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Proposed rule; extension of comment period.

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SUMMARY: On December 6, 1994, the Food Safety and Inspection Service 
(FSIS) proposed to amend the poultry products inspection regulations to 
prescribe a definition and standard of identity and composition, as 
well as labeling and other requirements for mechanically separated 
poultry products--mechanically separated (kind) (MS(K))--and 
requirements for meat or poultry products containing MS(K) as an 
ingredient. The proposed action would help ensure that meat and poultry 
products distributed to consumers are not labeled in a false or 
misleading manner and are not misbranded. FSIS has received requests to 
extend the comment period so that interested parties may have more time 
to consider the points in the proposal and to develop their comments 
more thoroughly. FSIS has determined that these requests should be 
granted and is, therefore, extending the comment period for an 
additional 30 days.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before: March 6, 1995.

ADDRESSES: Written comments to: Policy, Evaluation and Planning Office, 
Attn. Diane Moore, FSIS Docket Clerk, Room 3171, South Building, Food 
Safety and Inspection Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 
Washington, DC 20250. Oral comments should be directed to Mr. John W. 
McCutcheon, (202) 720-2709.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John W. McCutcheon, Deputy 
Administrator, Regulatory Programs, Food Safety and Inspection Service, 
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC 20250, Area Code (202) 
720-2709.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On December 6, 1994, FSIS published in the 
Federal Register a proposed rule (59 FR 62629) to amend the poultry 
products inspection regulations to prescribe a definition and standard 
of identity and composition for the finely comminuted poultry product 
that results from the mechanical separation and removal of most of the 
bone from poultry carcasses and parts of carcasses (``Mechanically 
Separated (Kind)(MS(K))),'' including requirements for bone solids 
content (measured as calcium content) and bone particle size; to 
specify certain limitations for the use of MS(K); to establish 
recordkeeping requirements for bone solids content and bone particle 
size; and to establish labeling requirements for MS(K), and for poultry 
products and meat food products containing MS(K) as an ingredient. The 
proposal is intended to establish the Agency's requirements with 
respect to poultry products produced by mechanical separation, 
including the requirement that they be distinctly labeled, e.g., 
``mechanically separated chicken.'' The proposed labeling and other 
requirements are intended to help ensure that meat and poultry products 
distributed to consumers are not labeled in a false or misleading 
manner and are not misbranded.
    The proposed rule provided extensive discussion on: the historical 
background relating to the development, use, and regulation of MS(K); 
the health and safety aspects of MS(K); the state of technology for 
producing MS(K); the results of analysis of comments received in 
response to two advance notices of proposed rulemaking (ANPR's) on 
MS(K) that the Agency had published, respectively, on June 15, 1993, 
(58 FR 33040), and, on March 3, 1994, (59 FR 10230); and the proposed 
regulatory requirements. The first ANPR had addressed the need for 
labeling poultry products containing MS(K) as an ingredient and the 
second had concerned definitions, standards, labeling, and other 
requirements for MS(K).
    Interested persons were given until February 6, 1995, to submit 
comments on the proposed regulatory amendments. FSIS has received 
requests from several meat and poultry trade associations and 
manufacturers of processed meat and poultry products to extend the 
comment period for the proposal. They have asked for additional time to 
study and develop information on issues relating to the proposal.
    FSIS considers these requests to be reasonable and is interested in 
receiving the additional comments that would be submitted during an 
extended comment period. Accordingly, the comment period for the 
proposal is being extended for 30 days.

    Done at Washington, DC, on February 2, 1995.
Michael R. Taylor,
Acting Under Secretary for Food Safety.
[FR Doc. 95-2929 Filed 2-3-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-DM-P