[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 103 (Tuesday, May 28, 1996)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 26470]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-13409]



 ========================================================================
 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. 103 / Tuesday, May 28, 1996 / 
Proposed Rules  

[[Page 26470]]



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 180 
days.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before November 25, 1996.

ADDRESSES: An original and two copies of written comments should be 
sent to: FSIS Docket Clerk, Docket No. 92-024P, Room 4352, South 
Agriculture Building, Food Safety and Inspection Service, U.S. 
Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC 20250-3700. Oral comments 
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 
20250-3700, (202) 254-2565.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: FSIS and the Food and Drug Administration 
(FDA) have initiated reviews of their regulations pertaining to food 
standards of identity and composition. Each agency's review responds in 
part to President Clinton's March 4, 1995, memorandum to heads of 
departments and agencies, titled ``Regulatory Reinvention Initiative.'' 
This memorandum directed departments and agencies to conduct a page-by-
page review of all of their reguations and eliminate or revise those 
that are outdated or otherwise in need of reform.
    On December 29, 1995, FSIS published a 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 products that 
have been modified to qualify for use of certain expressed nutrient 
content claims as part of the product name.
    Also, on December 29, 1995, FDA published an Advance Notice of 
Proposed Rulemaking (ANPR) ``Food Standards of Identity, Quality, and 
Fill of Containers; Common or Usual Name Regulations; Request for 
Comments on Existing Regulations,'' (60 FR 67492). The ANPR solicited 
comments from interested parties on whether FDA's regulations regarding 
identity, quality, and fill of container for standardized foods and its 
common or usual name regulations for nonstandardized foods should be 
retained, revised, or revoked. The ANPR also addressed the need for 
consistency between FSIS and FDA in the development and implementation 
of food standards. FDA stated that it believes such harmonization will 
help manufacturers comply with the requirements of both agencies. On 
May 1, 1996, FDA extended the comment period on its ANPR until June 28, 
1996, to receive comments only on the issue of FDA and FSIS 
harmonization of food standards (61 FR 19220).
    FSIS is also developing and will soon publish an ANPR that will 
solicit information from the public on what direction further food 
standards reform should take, including suggestions on whether to alter 
or eliminate entirely the regulations for standardized meat and poultry 
products.
    FSIS's proposed rule and its soon-to-be-published ANPR encompass 
the Agency's food standards review initiative. Therefore, to give the 
public an opportunity to consider the proposed rule and ANPR 
simultaneously, and in response to requests, FSIS is extending the 
comment period 180 days 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.''

    Done at Washington, DC, on: May 22, 1996.
Michael R. Taylor,
Acting Under Secretary for Food Safety.
[FR Doc. 96-13409 Filed 5-23-96; 1:41 pm]
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