[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 118 (Tuesday, June 18, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Page 30851]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-15362]



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 Notices
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  Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 118 / Tuesday, June 18, 1996 / 
Notices  

[[Page 30851]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service
[Docket No. PY-96-003]


Pasteurized Shell Eggs (Pasteurized In-Shell Eggs)

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The purpose of this notice is to inform interested persons 
that the official USDA grade standards for shell eggs cannot be used to 
grade pasteurized shell eggs (in-shell eggs). Pasteurized shell eggs 
are eggs of the domesticated chicken which have been subjected to a 
pasteurization process approved by the Food and Drug Administration 
(FDA).

DATES: Comments should be submitted on or before August 19, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Written comments may be sent to Douglas C. Bailey, Chief, 
Standardization Branch, Poultry Division, Agricultural Marketing 
Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, P.O. Box 96456, Room 3944-
South, Washington, DC 20900-6456. Comments may be inspected at this 
location between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Eastern time, Monday through 
Friday, except holidays. State that your comments refer to Docket No. 
PY-96-003.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rex A. Barnes, Acting Chief, Grading 
Branch, Poultry Division, 202-720-3271.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946, as amended (AMA) (7 U.S.C. 
1621 et seq.), authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to set standards 
for agricultural products and, on a voluntary basis, inspect and 
certify conformity of agricultural products to such standards to assist 
in their orderly marketing.
    The voluntary shell egg grading program administered under the AMA 
provides interested parties the ability to request from the U.S. 
Department of Agriculture (USDA) that their products be graded in 
accordance with the regulations which authorize the grading activities 
and the standards which provide a uniform language used to describe an 
agricultural commodity in the marketplace.

Grade Standards and Request for Information

    Grade standards currently applicable to shell eggs are not 
appropriate for grading pasteurized shell eggs due to changes the shell 
eggs undergo during the pasteurization process. AMS would consider 
developing grade standards for pasteurized shell eggs when a need for 
such standards has been demonstrated.
    All interested parties are invited to comment on the need for 
pasteurized shell egg standards and to recommend grade standards which 
would accurately describe the quality characteristics of pasteurized 
shell eggs.

    Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1621 et seq.

    Dated: June 12, 1996.
Lon Hatamiya,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 96-15362 Filed 6-18-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P