[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 82 (Friday, April 28, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Page 25135]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-4078]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration


Official Wet Gluten Determination for Hard Red Winter and Hard 
Red Spring Wheat

AGENCY: Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration 
(GIPSA) is announcing its intent to provide official determination of 
wet gluten content for Hard Red Winter (HRW) wheat and Hard Red Spring 
(HRS) wheat using a protein-based calibration on official near-infrared 
transmittance (NIRT) instruments. GIPSA will provide wet gluten content 
determination in hard red wheat as official criteria under the 
authority of the United States Grain Standards Act (USGSA).

DATES: Effective Date: May 1, 2006.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Steven N. Tanner, Director, Technical 
Services Division, GIPSA, USDA, 10383 N. Ambassador Drive, Kansas City, 
Missouri 64153; telephone (816) 891-0401; fax (816) 891-0478.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Buyers of wheat often ask for analysis of 
functional characteristics of the commodity being purchased, seeking 
data on factors other than determined during official inspection, 
including gluten functionality. Gluten, the primary functional protein 
in wheat, is responsible for the unique ability of milled wheat to 
produce bread, pasta, and noodle products. To date, GIPSA's official 
inspection system has not previously offered this information. Given 
industry interest in this factor, GIPSA will now provide wet gluten 
determinations in hard red wheat. Wet gluten concentration is highly 
correlated to the total crude protein concentration of wheat. GIPSA 
utilized this correlation to develop a protein-based equation for 
predicting wet gluten content, on a 14 percent moisture basis, 
applicable to Hard Red Winter (HRW) wheat and Hard Red Spring (HRS) 
wheat.
    GIPSA will implement the new wet gluten prediction equation on 
official NIRT instruments for hard red classes of wheat on May 1, 2006. 
The wet gluten test will be available upon request of an interested 
person, as official criteria for HRS and HRW wheat, under the authority 
of the USGSA, as amended. GIPSA believes offering this service will 
facilitate the marketing of wheat. Additional information will be 
posted on the GIPSA Web site at: http://www.gipsa.usda.gov/.

    Authority: Pub. L. 94-582, 90 Stat. 2867, as amended (7 U.S.C. 
71 et seq.).

Patricia Donohue-Glavin,
Acting Administrator, Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards 
Administration.
[FR Doc. 06-4078 Filed 4-27-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-EN-P