[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 89 (Monday, May 9, 2016)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 27985]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-10743]



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  Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 89 / Monday, May 9, 2016 / Rules and 
Regulations  

[[Page 27985]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

7 CFR Part 52

[Document Number AMS-FV-14-0016, FV-16-326]


United States Standards for Grades of Canned Baked Beans

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.

ACTION: Final notice.

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

DATES: Effective: June 8, 2016.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Brian E. Griffin, Agricultural 
Marketing Specialist, Specialty Crops Inspection Division, Specialty 
Crops Program, Agricultural Marketing Service, U.S. Department of 
Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Room 1536, South Building; 
STOP 0240, Washington, DC 20250; telephone (202) 720-5021; fax (202) 
690-1527; or, email [email protected]. Copies of the revised 
U.S. Standards for Grades of Canned Baked Beans are available on the 
Internet at http://www.regulations.gov or http://www.ams.usda.gov/.

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 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, Specialty 
Crops Program, and are available on the Internet at: http://www.ams.usda.gov/.
    AMS revised the voluntary 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).

Background

    In September 2013, AMS received a petition from a professor 
emeritus in food science at Michigan State University asking the Agency 
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 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 
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.''
    Additional proposed changes to the U.S. Standards for Grades of 
Canned Baked Beans included separating the shared standard for canned 
dried beans, canned pork and beans, and canned baked beans into three 
individual standard documents and make minor editorial changes. These 
grade standards are recognized as three individual standards, but are 
contained in one document.
    AMS published a proposed notice in the Federal Register on August 
19, 2015 (80 FR 50262) with a 60-day public comment period. AMS 
received one comment in favor of the proposed changes to the canned 
baked bean standards.
    This notice announces revisions to the third issuance of the U.S. 
Standards for Grades of Canned Baked Beans, which became effective on 
September 1, 1976, as follows:
    Product Description. The text for Sec.  52.6461 Product Description 
is revised to be: ``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.''
    Additionally, the U.S. Standards for Grades of Canned Dried Beans, 
Canned Pork and Beans, and Canned Baked Beans are separated into 
individual documents for the canned dried beans grade standards, canned 
pork and beans grade standards, and canned baked beans grade standards. 
There are no changes to the content of the canned dried beans or canned 
pork and beans grade standards.
    The official grade of a lot of canned baked beans 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 Food Products (7 CFR 
52.1 to 52.83).
    The revisions to the canned baked bean grade standard in this 
notice provide a common language for trade and better reflect the 
current marketing of canned baked beans. The changes are effective June 
8, 2016.

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

    Dated: May 3, 2016.
Elanor Starmer,
Acting Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 2016-10743 Filed 5-6-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3410-02-P