[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
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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. 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.

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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]
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