Poultry Inspection: Revision of Finished Product Standards With Respect to Fecal Contamination

SUMMARY: The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is amending the

poultry products inspection regulations to clarify and strengthen the

enforcement of FSIS's zero-tolerance policy regarding visible fecal

material on poultry carcasses. FSIS is amending its regulations to

codify an existing standard that ensures poultry carcasses contaminated

with fecal material do not enter the chilling tank. In order to clarify

the enforcement of this policy, this rule removes ``feces'' as a

nonconformance element in the finished product standards for poultry.

In addition, the Agency is seeking comments on the relationship

between ingesta and the presence of microbial pathogens on raw poultry.

DATES: This rule is effective on May 5, 1997. There is no due date for

comments requested on the relationship between ingesta and microbial

pathogens on raw poultry.

ADDRESSES: Submit one original and two copies of written comments to:

FSIS Docket Clerk, DOCKET #94-016F, U.S. Department of Agriculture,

Food Safety and Inspection Service, Room 3806 South Agriculture

Building, 1400 Independence Ave., SW., Washington, DC 20250-3700. All

comments submitted will be available for public inspection in the

Docket Clerk's Office between 8:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. and

4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. To review the research and other

background information used by FSIS in developing this document,

interested persons may visit the Docket Clerk's office during the times

listed above.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Isabel Arrington, Staff Officer,

Slaughter Operations, Office of Field Operations; (202) 720-7905.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

To enforce the ``zero tolerance'' policy regarding visible fecal

contamination on poultry, FSIS program employees look at every carcass

to ensure it is not contaminated by visible fecal contamination. This

visual check of all carcasses occurs after evisceration but prior to

the separation of the viscera from the carcass and prior to the final

wash and entry of the carcass into the chilling tank. Should visible

fecal contamination be observed, existing regulations permit

establishments to reprocess contaminated carcasses by a number of

approved methods, including washing and trimming on or off the line.

Regardless of the method chosen, the end result must be removal of all

visible specks of contamination prior to the carcasses' entering the

chiller. This zero tolerance policy for visible fecal contamination is

an important food safety standard because fecal contamination is a

major vehicle for spreading pathogenic microorganisms, such as

Salmonella, to raw poultry.

Under current rules, FSIS ensures removal of all visible fecal

contamination subsequent to postmortem inspection through off-line

reinspection, direct on-line observations by an inspector, and

application of finished product standards (FPS). The FPS are applied to

samples of product prior to its entering the chiller and after product

has left the chiller as a means of measuring an establishment's

performance in meeting organoleptic (detectable by the unaided senses)

standards, including the removal of visible fecal contamination.

Under an FPS program, the poultry establishment checks carcasses

entering and leaving the chiller for nonconformance to the FPS. If the

incidence of nonconformances determined by the FPS test indicates that

the establishment's process is out of control, the establishment must

take corrective action. Any bird in the sample taken found to be

contaminated with feces is set aside for rework or condemnation. FSIS

inspectors located before the chiller also evaluate performance by

visually observing carcasses, checking quality control data, and

sampling product. The establishment and FSIS apply a statistical method

to determine if the establishment's processes are under control and

producing consistently sound product. In the event an establishment

does not meet statistical criteria, the establishment's process is

determined to be out of control and corrective action is required. The

application of FPS does not preclude the inspector's directing the

establishment to take corrective action any time carcasses visibly

contaminated with fecal matter are observed.

On July 13, 1994, FSIS published a proposed rule, ``Enhanced

Poultry Inspection,'' in the Federal Register (59 FR 35659) to clarify

and strengthen substantially the Agency's zero-tolerance policy for

visible fecal contamination. The proposed rule would have implemented a

single system of postmortem inspection for all poultry species.

Establishment personnel would have been required to pre-sort birds

before inspection to exclude those with diseases and condemnable

conditions. In addition, the inspection sequence would have been

changed to permit inspectors to conduct on-line checks for

contamination. The proposal would have required all reprocessed birds

to be returned to the main processing line for inspection.

FSIS also proposed the mandatory use of antimicrobial rinses in all

establishments, use of establishment employees to sort poultry,

revision of the FPS, and addition of recordkeeping and verification

procedures. The proposal included the removal of ``feces'' from the

list of nonconformances in the FPS and a mandatory line speed reduction

triggered by any finding of visible fecal contamination during an FPS

review or at other times when such contamination was detected.

Since the proposed rule was published, FSIS has adopted a

[[Page 5140]]

comprehensive, preventive food safety strategy to reduce the incidence

and prevalence of foodborne illness in the United States. The

centerpiece of this strategy is the ``Pathogen Reduction; Hazard

Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) Systems'' final rule (61

FR 38805-38989, July 25, 1996). HACCP is a system of preventive

controls designed to improve the safety of food products.

The Pathogen Reduction/HACCP regulations require each establishment

to conduct a hazard analysis and develop a HACCP plan applicable to

every product it produces. Fecal contamination is a reliable indicator

of the likely presence of microbial pathogens, a food safety hazard

which all slaughtering establishments will necessarily address in their

HACCP plans. Poultry processing establishments must adopt HACCP

controls that they can demonstrate are effective in reducing the

occurrence of microbial pathogens; those controls include preventing

the fecal contamination of carcasses and thus preventing fecally

contaminated carcasses from entering the chilling tanks. They will be

required to monitor, verify, and record results which demonstrate the

effective operation of those controls on a continuing basis.

Under the Pathogen Reduction/HACCP rule, in addition to controls

for reducing microbial pathogens, such as ensuring that all poultry

carcasses are free of visible fecal contamination before entering the

chiller, slaughtering establishments will verify their process controls

by testing sampled carcasses for generic Escherichia coli (Biotype I).

In addition, FSIS has established pathogen reduction performance

standards based on Salmonella prevalence in raw product. These

standards, which FSIS will enforce through its own Salmonella testing

program, complement the process control performance criteria for

visible fecal contamination and E. coli testing.

The Pathogen Reduction/HACCP rule establishes a more comprehensive

framework for food safety protection than did the 1994 proposal, and

therefore supersedes it. It couples HACCP-based process control to

prevent visible fecal contamination (and other hazards) with microbial

testing and pathogen reduction performance standards to scientifically

verify the effectiveness of the HACCP plan. Some of the concepts in the

July 1994 proposal, such as antimicrobial processes and the role of

FSIS inspectors, may be addressed by future rulemakings if the concepts

appear to provide substantial food safety benefits in a HACCP context.

The zero-tolerance standard for visible fecal contamination, an

indicator of likely microbial contamination, is one that must be

achieved by processing control and therefore is consistent with the

HACCP framework. The HACCP regulations require all establishments to

identify all food safety hazards reasonably likely to occur in a

specific process, and to identify critical control points adequate to

prevent them. Fecal contamination is a food safety hazard because of

its direct link to microbiological contamination and foodborne illness.

Preventing carcasses with visible fecal contamination from entering the

chiller is critical for preventing cross-contamination of other

carcasses. The final carcass wash before the carcasses enter the

chiller is a critical control point for preventing cross-contamination

of other carcasses. Critical control points to eliminate visible fecal

contamination are predictable and essential components of the HACCP

plans for all slaughter establishments. For establishments' HACCP plans

to be validated, they will have to achieve the zero tolerance for

visible contamination at the point where carcasses enter the chiller.

Though the zero-tolerance policy has not been codified in the

regulations until now, it is implicit in some of the regulations. For

example, Sec. 381.91(b), provides that poultry accidentally

contaminated with digestive tract contents need not be condemned if

promptly reprocessed under the supervision of an inspector and found

not to be adulterated. The codification of the zero-tolerance policy

for visible fecal contamination and removal of ``feces'' as a

nonconformance element in the finished product standards for poultry

provide a clear and unambiguous standard that poultry slaughtering

establishments must meet today and, eventually, incorporate into their

HACCP systems.

FSIS will continue to verify that establishments are meeting the

zero-tolerance standard through visual observations, data collection,

and sampling. However, consistent with the policy, any indication of

visible fecal contamination will require establishments to take

immediate corrective action after deviations occur, rather than after a

certain statistical measure of control is exceeded over a period of

time.

The bulk of the comments on the July 1994 proposal addressed

provisions that are unrelated to this final rule. Of the 434 comments

received, 64 addressed the zero-tolerance policy on fecal

contamination. Forty-eight commenters were clearly in favor of the

policy; 16 expressed various reservations, such as: (1) Fecal material

was undefined; (2) visible feces should be trimmed, not washed; (3)

since FSIS has a zero tolerance policy for fecal contamination, a rule

change is not necessary; and (4) a zero tolerance policy should also be

established for ingesta and other intestinal tract contents.

In response to the commenters who stated that fecal material and/or

feces should be defined, FSIS has developed guidelines for inspectors

to use in identifying feces on carcasses. In these guidelines, three

factors--color, consistency, and composition-- are essential in

positively identifying fecal contamination. In general, fecal material

color ranges from varying shades of yellow to green, brown, and white;

the consistency of feces is usually semi-solid to a paste; and the

composition of feces may include plant material. Inspectors use the

feces identification guidelines to verify that establishments prevent

carcasses with visible fecal contamination from entering the chilling

tanks.

Several commenters also felt that any contamination on the carcass

should be trimmed, and that washing, including reprocessing, should not

be permitted as an alternative to trimming. The regulations (9 CFR

381.91(b)) permit poultry contaminated during slaughter with digestive

tract contents, such as feces, to be reprocessed in lieu of being

condemned. These regulations were promulgated in 1978 and were based,

in part, on an Agricultural Research Service (ARS) study, published in

the Journal of Food Science, which concluded that effective washing of

contaminated poultry carcasses produced carcasses with microbiological

levels essentially equal to normally processed and inspected

carcasses.1 A subsequent ARS study supported this finding.2

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\1\ Blankenship LC, Cox NA, Craven SE, Mercuri AJ, and Wilson

RL. Comparison of the Microbiological Quality of Inspection-Passed

and Fecal Contamination-Condemned Broiler Carcasses. J. Food Science

1975; 40:1236-1238.

\2\ Blankenship LC, Bailey JS, Cox NA, Musgrove MT, Berrang ME,

Wilson RL, Rose MJ, and Dua SK. A Research Note: Broiler Carcass

Reprocessing, A Further Explanation. J. Food Prot. 1993; 56:983-985.

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Several commenters stated that FSIS has a zero tolerance policy for

feces and, therefore, a change to the regulations was not needed.

However, the apparent incompatibility between FSIS's zero tolerance

policy for fecal material on individual poultry carcasses and the

existence of a process measure that

[[Page 5141]]

includes a tolerance for ``feces'' in the finished product standards

has continued to cause confusion. To clarify the zero tolerance policy,

FSIS is amending the poultry products inspection regulations by

removing ``feces'' as a nonconformance element from the finished

product standards.

Several commenters stated that there should be a zero tolerance

policy for ingesta and other digestive tract contents, in addition to

feces. Ingesta are processing defects generally consisting of

undigested feed remaining in a bird's crop, esophagus, and gizzard.

Ingesta contamination and attached portions of the crop and esophagus

are processing defects counted as FPS nonconformances. Ingesta

contamination of poultry was not directly addressed in the July 1994

proposal.

A research report 3 recently identified the crop as a

potential source of Salmonella contamination for broiler carcasses. The

report noted that crops may be ruptured during processing, suggesting

that the crop may serve as a source of carcass contamination if

exposure to pathogenic microbes occurs during the last week before

slaughter. The fact that birds are especially likely to pick up fecal

droppings during the feed withdrawal period prior to slaughter could

explain the presence of Salmonella in the crops.

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

\3\ Hargis BM, Caldwell DJ, Brewer RL, Corrier DE, DeLoach JR,

An Evaluation of the Chicken Crop as a Source of Salmonella

Contamination for Broiler Carcasses. Poult Sci 1995; 74:1548-52.

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Comments and information on ingesta contamination would be useful

to the Agency in its consideration of the need for additional

regulatory measures regarding ingesta. Such information would also be

helpful to establishments in identifying hazards and determining

critical control points in their HACCP systems. FSIS would like to have

more information on how the presence of ingesta on dressed poultry

carcasses relates to the presence of microbial pathogens and,

consequently, the food safety profile of ready-to-cook raw poultry.

Specific information is requested on (1) the capacity of current

technology to prevent ingesta contamination, (2) the consumer

perspective on the presence of ingesta on ready-to-cook raw poultry,

(3) the tolerance level and defect categories in the current FPS

program for ingesta, crop, and esophagus, and (4) the availability and

cost of new technology and its capacity to prevent ingesta

contamination.

The Final Rule

In summary, this final rule amends the poultry products inspection

regulations by explicitly prohibiting dressed poultry carcasses

contaminated with feces from entering the chiller. It also removes

``feces'' from the list of nonconformance elements in the poultry

finished product standards. Any visible fecal contamination found by

the establishment during the finished product standards check means

that the establishment has failed to meet the standard and that

immediate corrective action is required, irrespective of the overall

FPS results. Under this final rule, FSIS inspectors will continue their

current practice of verifying the establishment's process control

through visual observation of carcasses and off-line checks of sampled

birds.

Additionally, beginning on the effective date of this rule and

prior to HACCP implementation, FSIS inspectors will, during each shift

in all poultry slaughtering operations, check at least two more 10-bird

samples on each evisceration line for visible fecal contamination after

the final wash, before the carcasses enter the chiller. Any amount of

visible fecal contamination found by FSIS inspectors during these

checks will be regarded as a lack of process control requiring

immediate correction.

FSIS will continue to verify the effectiveness of the

establishment's corrective actions and, if the actions prove

ineffective, will prohibit birds on affected lines from entering the

chilling tank directly until the establishment demonstrates, and FSIS

verifies, that the zero-tolerance standard for visible fecal

contamination is being met. This prohibition may result in slowing or

stopping the line until the problem is solved. FSIS also will check

carcasses on the affected lines after they exit the chilling tank.

After HACCP systems are implemented in slaughtering establishments,

FSIS personnel will determine the effectiveness of preventive controls

and corrective actions for visible fecal contamination as they verify

HACCP system adequacy. They will continue close oversight of processor

efforts to prevent visible fecal contamination, sampling birds at the

same frequency as before HACCP implementation. The presence of visible

fecal contamination on poultry carcasses entering the chiller will mean

that controls to prevent such contamination have failed. The finding of

fecal matter on carcasses entering the chiller even after corrective

actions have been taken to prevent its recurrence will constitute

evidence of a HACCP system failure. FSIS will consider a documented

pattern of repeated system failures to be evidence that the

establishment's HACCP plan is inadequate. The Agency will take

immediate action to ensure proper disposition of adulterated product,

including its condemnation. Additionally, if appropriate, the Agency

will undertake proceedings to withdraw inspection from the

establishment.

FSIS plans to review the application of this standard during the

implementation of HACCP in affected establishments. The Agency would

certainly welcome input from interested parties on the application of

this standard in a HACCP environment.

FSIS expects that its zero-fecal-contamination policy, together

with the Pathogen Reduction/HACCP rule, will improve the safety of raw

poultry products and help bring about measurable declines in foodborne

illness attributable to poultry consumption.

Executive Order 12866 and Effect on Small Entities

This final rule has been determined to be significant and was

reviewed by OMB under Executive Order 12866.

This rule codifies as a standard the existing FSIS zero-tolerance

policy for the presence of visible fecal contamination on poultry

carcasses entering the chilling tank, and removes ``feces'' as a

nonconformance element in the FPS for poultry. The rule does not

require any facility changes nor does it stipulate what steps

establishments must take to comply with the standard. Furthermore, this

rule is compatible with the mandatory HACCP program for meat and

poultry establishments.

The rule will affect about 520 poultry slaughtering establishments

subject to inspection under the Poultry Products Inspection Act.

Approximately 360 of these are inspected by FSIS, about 300 operating

under inspection systems incorporating FPS; the other 60 or so--most

processing low-consumption-volume species, such as ducks and geese--

operating under ``traditional'' systems. In the ``traditional''

establishments, inspectors check outgoing product using lot acceptance

plans from which entries for ``feces'' are being removed by Agency

directive. The final rule will also affect about 160 poultry

slaughtering establishments where States maintain inspection that is

``at least equal to'' Federal inspection.

Alternatives Considered

As discussed in the preamble to the proposal, FSIS considered two

[[Page 5142]]

alternatives to the proposed regulatory amendments that would have met

the objectives of strengthening poultry products inspection, reducing

the occurrence of pathogens on raw product, and enforcing a ``zero

tolerance'' for visible fecal contamination of raw product. The first

of the alternatives would have required detaching the viscera from the

carcass before post-mortem inspection and presenting the organs and the

carcass for inspection at the same time, rather than sequentially. A

separate belt or tray would have been provided to prevent the viscera

from contaminating the carcass. However, preliminary estimates

indicated that costs to the industry of equipment acquisition and

installation and downtime for construction would have approached $1

billion.

The second alternative would have involved retaining the current

postmortem inspection procedures while positioning an additional

inspector at the end of the evisceration line at a point after viscera

removal to examine each carcass for fecal contamination. Under this

alternative, the Government could have incurred an additional $16

million per annum in personnel costs, which was unacceptable to FSIS,

and production rates could have been slowed by 30 to 50 percent if

fewer inspectors were assigned to perform the required tasks. The

annual cost to the industry and consumers of slowed linespeeds could

have been as high as $5.2 billion. In the Agency's judgment, either of

these alternatives would have posed unacceptable costs.

The alternative proposed by the Agency included a single postmortem

inspection system for all kinds and classes of poultry, a requirement

for the establishment to present for inspection birds that had been

pre-sorted to exclude those with diseases and condemnable conditions, a

change in the inspection sequence to include on-line checks for

contamination, the return of all reprocessed birds to the main

processing line for reinspection, and mandatory antimicrobial treatment

of all dressed poultry. In addition, some establishments would have had

to install adjustable inspection stands and enhanced lighting. A

completely revised FPS, without a nonconformance element for feces,

would have been applied to all poultry. An FSIS inspector would have

been required to stop or slow the line upon finding any fecally

contaminated bird. The Agency estimated the cost of the proposal to

industry at about $7 million. Cost estimates supplied by industry

commenters indicated costs would substantially exceed the Agency's

estimate.

Since the proposal was published, the Agency has adopted a

comprehensive food safety strategy based on mandatory HACCP systems for

meat and poultry establishments. The Pathogen Reduction/HACCP rule

implementing this policy supersedes the July 1994 proposal.

Accordingly, FSIS has limited this final rule to the codification of

the zero tolerance policy for visible fecal contamination and to the

removal of the ``feces'' nonconformance element from the poultry FPS.

Costs

As mentioned, visible fecal contamination of poultry carcasses

currently is addressed at postmortem inspection by off-line

reprocessing of accidentally contaminated poultry, through pre-chill

FPS checks, and at other times that visible fecal contamination is

detected. FSIS estimates that the frequency of corrective actions

required because establishments fail an FPS test due to visible fecal

contamination nonconformances is, at most, 1 time a year per

establishment. Normally, the presence of visible fecal contamination

found during an FPS review is at a level such that it will cause an FPS

failure and trigger immediate corrective action. A typical

establishment may fail a pre-chill FPS test once a month or less

because nonconformances other than visible fecal contamination, such as

the presence of feathers or other dressing defects, have been observed.

Such an establishment may fail a post-chill FPS test about six times a

year, usually because extraneous matter is found on the carcass. Some

establishments operate for 2 or 3 years without failing an FPS test.

The Agency will have to shift the allocation of Federal poultry

inspection resources during the period after this rule becomes

effective. Upon the effective date of this rule, FSIS inspectors will

be sampling additional birds at pre-chill to examine them for visible

fecal contamination, a task that will require as many as 10 staff-years

to perform. This cost can be absorbed within FSIS's current resources.

As mentioned, this final rule removes the nonconformance element

for ``feces'' from the current FPS for poultry and codifies the policy

prohibiting poultry carcasses contaminated with visible feces from

entering the chiller tank. As stated elsewhere in this preamble, this

rule establishes a standard that is compatible with the Agency's

Pathogen Reduction/HACCP regulations. It will take effect, however,

before mandatory HACCP plans are implemented in most federally

inspected poultry products establishments.

When this final rule becomes effective, the detection of visible

fecal contamination during the pre-chill FPS or at any other time that

visible fecal contamination is detected on the carcasses before the

carcasses enter the chiller will trigger corrective actions to prevent

recurrence of the problem. The Agency foresees that initially, when

this final rule goes into effect, there may be an increase in the

frequency of corrective actions. Establishments may incur costs

attributed to slowing or temporary stoppage of production lines,

equipment adjustments, product rework, and the placing of additional

personnel on the processing line, at a somewhat higher rate than

previously.

These costs are likely to result from two primary causes. First,

following the effective date, establishments will be placing increased

emphasis on preventing carcasses with visible fecal contamination from

entering chiller tanks. The increased vigilance of establishment

personnel initially may cause some production slowdowns. Second, FSIS

inspectors will be sampling birds at an increased rate to enforce the

zero-tolerance policy. It is possible that a prevalence level of fecal

contamination that had not been detected previously in FPS tests will

now be shown to occur, and that processing lines may be slowed or

stopped more often for corrective actions to be taken.

FSIS estimates that the industry-wide cost of stopping or slowing

the processing line when fecal contamination is found on dressed

poultry could be as high as $15 million during the first year this

final rule is in effect. This estimate is derived from data submitted

by commenters on estimated efficiency losses--including losses due to

stopping or slowing the processing lines--that the proposed rule might

have caused. An assumption of the commenters, which FSIS does not

share, was that the efficiency reduction costs would recur annually.

FSIS sees any such cost increases as short-term. Once

establishments adjust to the new inspection procedures and adopt more

stringent operating standards, the need for corrective action should be

reduced, and there will be greater assurance that product entering

chillers is free of visible fecal contamination.

Benefits

FSIS expects the net benefits to society from this rule will be in

the form of fewer outbreaks of foodborne disease

[[Page 5143]]

attributable to poultry products. The rule will help ensure that raw

poultry entering chiller tanks is free of contamination that may harbor

pathogens and, thus, that there will be less cross-contamination in the

chiller tanks. FSIS expects that this reduced cross-contamination will

mean that raw poultry shipped in commerce will have fewer pathogens and

that the risk of illness due to improper handling of raw product after

it leaves the inspected establishment will be reduced.

The Administrator, FSIS, has determined that this final rule will

not have a significant impact on a substantial number of small

entities. The small entities affected by this rule are the

approximately 220 small poultry slaughtering establishments that meet

the Small Business Administration size standard of 500 or fewer

employees. This is a significant number of small entities but, for

reasons given above, costs to establishments, whether they be small or

large entities, should not be significantly affected by this rule.

Thus, the rule will not have a significant impact on a substantial

number of small entities.

Executive Order 12988

This final rule has been reviewed under Executive Order 12988,

Civil Justice Reform. This rule (1) preempts all State and local laws

and regulations that are inconsistent with this rule; (2) has no

retroactive effect; and (3) does not require administrative proceedings

before parties may file suit in court challenging this rule.

Paperwork Requirements

The July 13, 1994, proposed rule required paperwork and

recordkeeping activities that would have provided FSIS with information

to ensure that establishments were in compliance with the proposed

regulations. As noted above, however, FSIS is withdrawing the

provisions of the proposal that would have required such paperwork and

recordkeeping.

List of Subjects in 9 CFR Part 381

Poultry inspection, Poultry and poultry products.

For the reasons discussed in the preamble, FSIS is amending part

381 of the poultry products inspection regulations as set forth below:

PART 381--POULTRY PRODUCTS INSPECTION REGULATIONS

1. The authority citation for part 381 continues to read as

follows:

Authority: 7 U.S.C. 138f, 450; 21 U.S.C. 451-470; 7 CFR 2.18,

2.53.

Subpart I--Operating Procedures

2. Section 381.65 is amended by adding a new paragraph (e) to read

as follows:

Sec. 381.65 Operations and procedures, generally.

* * * * *

(e) Poultry carcasses contaminated with visible fecal material

shall be prevented from entering the chilling tank.

* * * * *

Subpart K--Post Mortem Inspection; Disposition of Carcasses and

Parts

Sec. 381.76 [Amended]

3. Section 381.76(b)(3)(vi), Table 1--Definitions of

Nonconformances, is amended in paragraph A-1 by removing the word

``feces,'' by removing the end note from paragraph A-2 regarding feces,

by removing paragraph A-8, ``Feces \1/8\,'' and by

renumbering paragraphs A-9 through A-20 as A-8 through A-19.

* * * * *

Done at Washington, DC, on Janaury 30, 1997.

Thomas J. Billy,

Administrator.

[FR Doc. 97-2736 Filed 1-30-97; 3:30 pm]

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