[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 27 (Thursday, February 9, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6773-6774]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-2970]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

[Document No. AMS-FV-11-0050, FV-12-327]


United States Standards for Grades of Grapefruit Juice

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) of the Department of 
Agriculture (USDA) is soliciting comments on the proposed revision to 
the United States Standards for Grades of Grapefruit Juice. The 
proposal includes changes to the grade standards for grapefruit juice 
to remove the parameters for maximum ``free and suspended pulp'' to 
account for advances in industry processing technology.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before April 9, 2012.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments on 
the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov or to Brian E. Griffin, 
Inspection and Standardization Branch, Processed Products Division, 
Fruit and Vegetable Programs, Agricultural Marketing Service, U.S. 
Department of Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Room 0709, 
South Building; STOP 0247, Washington, DC 20250; telephone (202) 720-
4693; fax (202) 690-1527, email [email protected]. Comments 
should make reference to the date and page number of this issue of the 
Federal Register and will be made available for public inspection at 
the above office during regular business hours.
    Please be advised that all comments submitted in response to this 
notice will be included in the record and will be made available to the 
public on the Internet via http://www.regulations.gov. Also, the 
identity of the individuals or entities submitting the comments will be 
made public. The U.S. Standards for Grades of Grapefruit Juice 
identified in this notice are available either at the above address or 
by accessing the AMS Web site at: http://www.ams.usda.gov/processedinspection.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Brian E. Griffin, Inspection and 
Standardization Branch, Processed Products Division, Agricultural 
Marketing Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, telephone (202) 720-
5021; or fax (202) 690-1527.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 203(c) of the Agricultural Marketing 
Act of 1946, 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 grade standards available upon request. Those voluntary 
U.S. standards for grades of fruits and vegetables no longer appear in 
the Code of Federal Regulations, 7 CFR Part 52, but are maintained by 
USDA, AMS, Fruit and Vegetable Programs. AMS is revising the U.S. 
Standards for Grades of Grapefruit Juice using the procedures that 
appear in part 36 of Title 7 of the Code of Federal Regulations (7 CFR 
part 36).

Background

    AMS received a petition from the Florida Citrus Processors 
Association, an association of citrus producers, requesting revisions 
to the U.S. Standards for Grades of Grapefruit Juice. The petitioners 
requested the removal of the maximum limit for ``free and suspended 
pulp'' (referred to in the industry as ``sinking pulp'') from the U.S. 
grade standards for all forms of grapefruit juice.

[[Page 6774]]

    The grade standards, effective since September 12, 1983, provided 
that grapefruit juice from concentrate, grapefruit juice, and frozen 
concentrated grapefruit juice establish limits for maximum free and 
suspended pulp as follows: ``Grade A''--10 percent by volume, ``Grade 
B''--15 percent by volume. Concentrated grapefruit juice for 
manufacturing requirements for maximum free and suspended pulp are as 
follows: ``Grade A''--10 percent by volume, and ``Grade B''--12 percent 
by volume.
    The petitioners believe that, with respect to maximum values for 
``free and suspended pulp'', the existing U.S. Standards for Grades of 
Grapefruit Juice do not take into account modern extraction and 
finishing technologies, nor are they supported by evidence of a 
correlation between these criteria and acceptable flavor. The 
petitioners also believe that removing the ``free and suspended pulp'' 
values from the grade standards would allow processors to process the 
entire grapefruit crop without resorting to expensive technologies that 
increase the cost of juice with no concomitant benefit. More mature 
grapefruit tends to be sweeter, but when juiced tends to cause the 
product to exceed maximum free and suspended pulp values.
    Processing technologies used in the early 1940's were considerably 
different than the technologies in place today. In the developmental 
stages of the citrus industry, the amount of sinking pulp was an 
indication of excessive pressures used in extraction and finishing of 
citrus juice, resulting in bitter flavor. It was noted that sinking 
pulp levels could be correlated to bitter flavor. The bitter flavors 
are due to the naturally occurring naringin and limonin components 
found in grapefruit juice. Although bitterness is an inherent 
contributor to what we know as ``grapefruit flavor,'' an excessive 
amount of bitterness can be objectionable to some consumers.
    Current industry practices have shown us that sinking pulp levels 
can be greatly influenced by modern processing techniques, which 
eliminate the correlation between sinking pulp and excessive 
bitterness.
    The petitioners submitted research data covering a six season 
period which illustrates levels of sinking pulp vs. naringin, and 
levels of sinking pulp vs. limonin using variations in extractor 
settings. The petitioners also submitted data on a sensory evaluation 
performed by the University of Florida on consumer acceptability of 
grapefruit juice with two free and suspended pulp levels. The 
petitioner's research data supports the premise that modern extraction 
and finishing technologies produce a product where there is no 
correlation between grapefruit juice flavor components associated with 
bitter and off flavor, i.e., naringin and limonin, and free and 
suspended pulp levels.
    Prior to undertaking research and other work associated with 
revising the grade standards, AMS sought public comments on the 
petition (see 76 FR 51343).
    Two comments were received regarding this petition. One comment was 
from a trade association with international membership; and one comment 
was from a trade association in the U.S. representing over 8,000 citrus 
growers. Both comments were in support of the petition to remove the 
maximum limit for ``free and suspended pulp'' from the U.S. Standards 
for Grades of Grapefruit Juice.
    AMS is soliciting comments on the proposed revision of the U.S. 
Standards for Grades of Grapefruit Juice. Further details are provided 
in the petition and are available from Brian E. Griffin at the 
previously mentioned address in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT 
section or can be found on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov. 
This notice provides for a 60-day comment period for interested parties 
to comment on the proposed revision of the U.S. Standards for Grades of 
Grapefruit Juice.

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

    Dated: February 3, 2012.
Robert C. Keeney,
Acting Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 2012-2970 Filed 2-8-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P