[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 48 (Wednesday, March 12, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11801-11802]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-5846]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

[Docket  FV-03-329]


United States Standards for Grades of Frozen Onions

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) of the Department of 
Agriculture (USDA) is soliciting comments on its proposal to create new 
United States Standards for Grades of Frozen Onions. USDA received a 
petition from a trade association to create grade standards for frozen 
onions that will include a description of the product, style, sample 
unit size, grades, ascertaining the grade by sample, and ascertaining 
the grade by lot. This proposal will provide a common language for 
trade, a means of measuring value in the marketing of frozen onions, 
and provide guidance in the effective utilization of frozen onions.

DATES: Comments may be submitted on or before May 12, 2003.

ADDRESSES: Written comments may be submitted to: Chere L. Shorter, 
Processed Products Branch, Fruit and Vegetable Programs, Agricultural 
Marketing Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, STOP 0247,1400 
Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20250-0247; fax (202) 690-1087; 
or e-mail [email protected].
    Comments should reference the date and page of this issue of the 
Federal Register. All comments received will be made available for 
public inspection at the address listed above during regular business 
hours and on the Internet.
    The draft of the proposed United States Standards for Grades of 
Frozen Onions is available either through the address cited above or by 
accessing AMS's Web site on the Internet at: http://www.ams.usda.gov/fv/ppb.html. Any comments received, regarding this proposed standard 
will also be posted on that site.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Chere L. Shorter at (202) 720-5021 or 
e-mail at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 203(c) of the Agricultural Marketing 
Act of 1946 (7 U.S.C. 1621-1627), as amended, directs and authorizes 
the Secretary of Agriculture ``to develop and improve standards of 
quality, condition, quantity, grade and packaging and recommend and 
demonstrate such standards in order to encourage uniformity and 
consistency in commercial practices * * *'' AMS is committed to 
carrying out this authority in a manner that facilitates the marketing 
of agricultural commodities and makes copies of official standards 
available upon request. The United States Standards for Grades of 
Fruits and Vegetables no longer appear in the Code of Federal 
Regulations but are maintained by USDA/AMS/Fruit and Vegetable 
Programs.
    AMS is proposing to establish the U.S. Standards for Grades of 
Frozen Onions using the procedures that appear in part 36, Title 7 of 
the Code of Federal Regulations (7 CFR part 36).
    The American Frozen Food Institute (AFFI), a trade association for 
the frozen fruit and vegetable industry, requested that USDA develop a 
standard for frozen onions to be used by the industry. The petition 
provided information on style, sample size and description to AMS to 
develop the standard. AMS received samples of various styles to collect 
information on grades of frozen onions and how to ascertain the grade 
of a sample and of a lot.
    AMS prepared a discussion draft of the proposed frozen onions 
standard, and distributed copies for input to AFFI. Input from the 
trade association's members was used to further develop the proposed 
standard.
    AMS then published a notice on the proposed grade standard in 
April, 2001, Federal Register (66 FR 21116) and received two comments. 
The comments are posted on the AMS Web site at http://www.ams.usda.gov/fv/ppb.html. AMS then met with members of AFFI at their annual meeting 
in February 2002 to discuss the comments. AFFI had requested a change 
in the style designations for minced style, and a correction to the 
text. AFFI also agreed on the sample size of one pound or 450 grams per 
sample unit as requested by another commenter. Based on the comments 
and discussions at the meeting, AMS revised the proposed grade standard 
incorporating all the comments.
    Based on the results of the information gathered, AMS is proposing 
to establish a standard for frozen onions following the standard format 
for U.S. Grade Standards using ``individual attributes.'' Specifically, 
USDA is proposing to provide for the ``individual attributes'' 
procedure for product grading with sample sizes, acceptable quality 
levels (AQL's), tolerances and acceptance numbers (number of allowable 
defects); with single letter grade designations. AMS is defining 
``frozen onions'' and establishing ``strips'', ``diced'', ``whole'', 
``chopped'',

[[Page 11802]]

and ``other'' as the style designations. The proposal also defines the 
quality factors, acceptable quality levels (AQL), and tolerances (TOL) 
for defects that affect frozen onions and determine sample unit sizes 
for this commodity.
    This proposal would establish the grade levels ``A'', ``B'' and 
``Substandard''. The proposed AQLs, tolerances, and acceptance numbers 
for each quality factor as defined for each grade level would also be 
established.
    The grade of a sample unit of frozen onions will be ascertained by 
considering the factors of varietal characteristics, flavor, odor, 
color, defects, and character. This proposal will provide a common 
language for trade, a means of measuring value in the marketing of 
frozen onions, and provide guidance in the effective utilization of 
frozen onions. The official grade of a lot of frozen onions covered by 
these standards will be determined by the procedures set forth in the 
Regulations Governing Inspection and Certification of Processed 
Products Thereof, and Certain Other Processed Foods Products 
(Sec. Sec.  52.1 to 52.83).
    This notice provides for a 60 day comment period for interested 
parties to comment on the proposed U.S. Standards for Grades of Frozen 
Onions.

    Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1621-1627.

    Dated: March 6, 2003.
A.J. Yates,
Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 03-5846 Filed 3-11-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P