Poultry Products Produced by Mechanical Deboning and Products in Which Such Poultry Products Are Used

FEDERAL LABOR RELATIONS AUTHORITY

Food Safety and Inspection Service

9 CFR Part 381

[Docket No. 93-008E]

RIN 0583-AB68

Poultry Products Produced by Mechanical Deboning and Products in

Which Such Poultry Products Are Used

AGENCY: Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Advance notice of proposed rulemaking; extension of comment

period.

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SUMMARY: On March 3, 1994, the Food Safety and Inspection Service

(FSIS) published an advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPR)

announcing its intent to pursue the development of amendments to the

Federal poultry products inspection regulations to define and

standardize, or establish other requirements for poultry products

produced by mechanical deboning, including possible provisions for the

composition, characteristics, and use of such products, and

requirements for manufacturing and labeling such products. FSIS has

received requests to extend the comment period so that additional data

and information can be provided. FSIS has determined that the requests

should be granted and, therefore, is extending the comment period for

30 days.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before June 1, 1994.

ADDRESSES: Written comments to: Policy Office, Attn: Diane Moore, FSIS

Hearing Clerk, room 3171, South Building, Food Safety and Inspection

Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC 20250. Oral

comments should be directed to Mr. John W. McCutcheon, (202) 720-2709.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. John W. McCutcheon, Deputy

Administrator, Regulatory Programs, Food Safety and Inspection Service,

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC 20250, Area Code (202)

720-2709.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On June 15, 1993, FSIS published in the

Federal Register an advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPR) (58 FR

33040) soliciting comments, information, scientific data, and

recommendations regarding its consideration of the need for labeling of

poultry product produced by mechanical deboning and products in which

such poultry product is used. FSIS received 2,744 comments in response

to the ANPR, most of which were general reactions to the labeling

issues. The Agency also issued on March 3, 1994, an ANPR (59 FR 10230)

announcing its intent to pursue the development of amendments to the

Federal poultry products inspection regulations to define and

standardize, or establish other requirements for poultry products

produced by mechanical deboning, including possible provisions for the

composition, characteristics, and use, and requirements for

manufacturing and labeling such products.

The ANPR provided an in-depth discussion on the labeling of

mechanically deboned poultry, as well as other issues related to

boneless poultry product produced by mechanical deboning and expressed

the Agency's tentative positions regarding these issues. The ANPR

stated that FSIS was considering, among other things, that certain

poultry products produced by mechanical deboning, i.e., those with

greater than 0.6 percent bone solids content, but no more than 1

percent bone solids content, be separately identified on the labels of

products in which they are used as ingredients by a distinct name.

Also, the ANPR stated that FSIS was considering, among other things,

that some boneless poultry products derived from mechanical deboning

machinery, i.e., those with 0.6 percent or less bone solids, be

identified on the label of products in which they are used as poultry

or poultry meat, e.g., ``chicken'' and ``turkey meat.'' FSIS's intent

in issuing the March 1994 ANPR was to ascertain the information and

data necessary to solidify its position on the labeling, use, and

production of poultry products produced by mechanical deboning in order

to help the regulation development process.

Interested persons were given until May 2, 1994, in which to

comment on the ANPR. FSIS has received requests from several meat and

poultry manufacturers and trade associations to extend the comment

period to allow additional time for data to be gathered and submitted.

FSIS recognizes that the ANPR solicited information on a number of new

concepts; e.g., labeling of products with greater than 0.6 percent bone

solids content. It is important to the Agency to get substantive data

on these concepts as the Agency further develops its policy position.

FSIS is interested in receiving this data and is, therefore, extending

the comment period for 30 days.

Done at Washington, DC, on April 26, 1994.

William J. Hudnall,

Acting Administrator, Food Safety and Inspection Service.

[FR Doc. 94-10497 Filed 4-29-94; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410-DM-M