[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 160 (Wednesday, August 19, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50262-50263]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-20445]


 ========================================================================
 Notices
                                                 Federal Register
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
 or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings 
 and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings, 
 delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency 
 statements of organization and functions are examples of documents 
 appearing in this section.
 
 ========================================================================
 

  Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 160 / Wednesday, August 19, 2015 / 
Notices  

[[Page 50262]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

[Document Number AMS-FV-14-0016, FV-14-326]


United States Standards for Grades of Canned Baked Beans

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) of the Department of 
Agriculture (USDA) proposes to revise the United States Standards for 
Grades of Canned Baked Beans. AMS is proposing to replace process-
specific language ``Product description'' in the standard with language 
reflective of current canned baked bean manufacturing practices. 
Additionally, AMS proposes separating the canned dried beans, canned 
pork and beans, and canned baked beans grade standards from one shared 
standard document into three separate standard documents. These changes 
would bring the grade standards for canned baked beans in line with the 
present quality levels being marketed today and would provide guidance 
in the effective use of these products.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before October 19, 2015.

ADDRESSES: Written comments may be submitted via the Internet: http://www.regulations.gov; by email [email protected]; or by mail to 
Brian E. Griffin, Standardization Branch, Specialty Crops Inspection 
Division, Fruit and Vegetable Program, Agricultural Marketing Service, 
U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Room 
0709, South Building; STOP 0247, Washington, DC 20250; fax: (202) 690-
1527. Copies of the proposed revised United States Standards for Grades 
of Canned Baked Beans are available at the addresses cited above and at 
the AMS Web site at: http://www.ams.usda.gov/scihome. All comments 
should reference the document number, date, and page number of this 
issue of the Federal Register. All comments will be posted without 
change, including any personal information provided. All comments 
submitted in response to this notice will be included in the public 
record and will be made available to the public on the Internet via 
http://www.regulations.gov. Comments will be made available for public 
inspection at the above address during regular business hours or can be 
viewed at: http://www.regulations.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Contact Brian E. Griffin at the 
address above, phone (202) 720-5021, or fax (202) 690-1527.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: AMS is proposing to revise the U.S. 
Standards for Grades of Canned Baked Beans using the procedures that 
appear in part 36 of Title 7 of the Code of Federal Regulations (7 CFR 
part 36). 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 U.S. 
standards for grades of fruits and vegetables that are not connected 
with Federal marketing orders or U.S. import requirements no longer 
appear in the Code of Federal Regulations, but are maintained by USDA, 
AMS, Fruit and Vegetable Program, and are available on the Internet at: 
http://www.ams.usda.gov/scihome.
    Background: In September 2013, AMS received a petition from a 
professor emeritus in food science from Michigan State University 
asking AMS to consider revising the current U.S. grade standards for 
canned baked beans to account for advances in industry processing 
technology. The petitioner requested the removal of the following text 
from the text of the Product description: ``The product is prepared by 
washing, soaking, and baking by the application of dry heat in open or 
loosely covered containers in a closed oven at atmospheric pressure for 
sufficient prolonged time to produce a typical texture and flavor'' and 
replacing it with the following text, ``The product is prepared by 
heating beans and sauce in a closed or open container for a period of 
time sufficient to provide texture, flavor, color and consistency 
attributes that are typical for this product.''
    AMS believes the text ``washing, soaking'' needs to be retained and 
proposes the following revision to the text of the Product description: 
``The product is prepared by washing, soaking, and heating beans and 
sauce in a closed or open container for a period of time sufficient to 
provide texture, flavor, color, and consistency attributes that are 
typical for this product.''
    A copy of the petitioner's request and supporting documentation is 
located on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov along with the 
current U.S. Standards for Grades of Canned Baked Beans together with 
the revisions proposed in this notice. The proposed revisions to these 
grade standards would provide a common language for trade and better 
reflect the current marketing of canned baked beans.
    Additional proposed changes to the U.S. Standards for Grades of 
Canned Baked Beans include separating the canned dried beans grade 
standards, canned pork and beans grade standards, and the canned baked 
beans grade standards into individual standard documents. These grade 
standards are currently recognized as three individual standards, but 
are contained in one document. No changes to content are recommended at 
this time for the canned dried beans or canned pork and beans grade 
standards.
    In December 2013, AMS developed a discussion draft of the revised 
canned baked bean grade standards that included the proposed changes. 
This draft was distributed to the U.S. Dry Bean Council (USDBC), a 
trade association representing U.S. growers, shippers, processors, 
packagers, and canners of dry beans; and to the Grocery Manufacturers 
Association (GMA), a trade association of the food industry. Members of 
the USDBC and GMA

[[Page 50263]]

reviewed the discussion draft. Responding members supported the 
proposed changes to the Product description, and the proposed change to 
separate the canned dried beans, canned pork and beans, and the canned 
baked beans grade standards into the documents.
    Additionally, AMS submitted the discussion draft to the U.S. Food 
and Drug Administration (FDA) for guidance on the proposed changes. The 
FDA expressed concern over the removal of the term ``baking'' from the 
process while continuing to use the term ``baked'' as part of the name 
of the food. The FDA did not object to a name that appropriately 
describes the food as per the regulations in 21 CFR 101.3.
    AMS discussed further FDA's concerns with the petitioner. A second 
discussion draft was developed and submitted to the FDA and received a 
positive response. The second discussion draft was then submitted to 
the aforementioned industry groups for a second round of comments. Both 
groups responded positively to the changes.
    The proposed revised text for Section 52.6461 Product description 
reads as follows: ``The product is prepared by washing, soaking, and 
baking beans and sauce through the application of heat in a closed or 
open container for a period of time sufficient to provide texture, 
flavor, color, and consistency attributes that are typical for this 
product.''

Agricultural Marketing Service

    AMS is soliciting comments on the proposed revision of the U.S. 
Standards for Grades of Canned Baked Beans. In particular, AMS would 
welcome comments and information regarding the possible impact on 
processors and growers. 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 Canned Baked 
Beans.

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

    Dated: August 13, 2015.
Rex A. Barnes,
Associate Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-20445 Filed 8-18-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE P