United States Standards for Grades of Canned Sweetpotatoes

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

[FV-97-328N]

United States Standards for Grades of Canned Sweetpotatoes

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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

SUMMARY: The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is soliciting

comments on its proposal to change the voluntary United States

Standards for Grades of Canned Sweetpotatoes. Specifically, AMS

proposes to lower the recommended drained weights for canned

sweetpotatoes packed in retail size cans by two percent. AMS has

received petitions to revise the United States Standards for Grades of

Canned Sweetpotatoes. The petitioners are requesting a decrease in the

recommended drained weight for sweetpotatoes packed in retail size cans

including No. 10 cans. The drained weight recommendations would also

add No. 300 cans, a size pack which has been increasingly utilized in

the industry. These changes would allow more equitable utilization of

processed sweetpotatoes across domestic growing regions and will help

the sweetpotato industry to meet its market needs.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before March 16, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit their written

comments to Karen L. Kaufman, Processed Products Branch, Fruit and

Vegetable Division, Agricultural Marketing Service, U.S. Department of

Agriculture, STOP 0247, P.O. Box 96456, Washington, D.C. 20090-6456;

faxed to (202) 690-1087; or e-mailed to Karen__L__K[email protected].

Comments should reference the date and page number of this issue of the

Federal Register. The petitions and comments will be made available for

public inspection at the above address during regular business hours.

The current United States Standards for Grades of Canned

Sweetpotatoes, along with the proposed changes, are available through

the above addresses or by accessing AMS's Home Page on the Internet at:

www.ams.usda.gov/standards/vegcan.htm.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Karen L Kaufman at (202) 720-5021.

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,

grade, and packaging and recommend and demonstrate such standards in

order to encourage uniformity and consistency in commercial practices *

* *'' The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is committed to carrying

out this authority in a manner that facilitates the marketing of

agricultural commodities. The United States Standards for Grades of

Canned Sweetpotatoes do not appear in the Code of Federal Regulations

but are maintained by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Copies of

official standards are available upon request.

AMS is proposing to change the United States Standards for Grades

of Canned Sweetpotatoes using the procedures it published in the August

13, 1997, Federal Register and that appear in part 36 of title 7 of the

Code of Federal Regulations (7 CFR part 36). Specifically, AMS is

proposing to lower the recommended drained weight for

[[Page 2358]]

sweetpotatoes packed in retail size cans, including No. 10 size cans,

by two percent. The drained weight criteria for the No. 300 can, a size

pack which has been increasingly utilized in the industry, would also

be added. This change would allow a more equitable marketing

environment for domestic sweetpotato processors.

AMS received petitions from the Sweet Potato Council of the United

States, and the North Carolina Sweet Potato Commission and three

processors requesting the revision of the United States Standards for

Grades of Canned Sweetpotatoes.

The petitioners represent a significant part of the canned

sweetpotato industry. The Louisiana, Mississippi, and North Carolina

sweetpotato industry provides over half of the sweetpotatoes produced

domestically. 1

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

\1\ Source--USDA, NASS, ASB

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

The petitions indicate that the recommended drained weights for

canned sweetpotatoes packed in retail size cans, as shown in the U.S.

Standards for Grades of Canned Sweetpotatoes, are difficult to meet and

put sweetpotato processors at an economic disadvantage in marketing

these products.

The reasons given for this disparity are that the changes in the

varietal types of sweetpotatoes and the growing conditions in the

growing regions have changed significantly since the current

Recommended Minimum Drained Weight Averages (RMDWA's) were first

proposed 21 years ago. Prior to 1985, there were several varieties of

sweetpotatoes utilized in canned sweetpotatoes. These varieties were

Centennial, Jewel, Gold Rush, and others. Since 1989, the fresh

sweetpotato market has predominantly switched to marketing the

Beauregard variety because of its improved quality characteristics and

yield potential. Surplus sweetpotatoes from the fresh market have

traditionally supplied canning operations. Since 1989, processors have

noted that the sweetpotatoes they have been using have lower total

solids and lower densities than previously used varieties. As part of

the industry petition to review the RMDWA's for canned sweetpotatoes,

USDA requested that the sweetpotato industry submit data covering

several seasons to provide evidence of this processing condition. Data

was collected from plants located in Louisiana, Mississippi, and North

Carolina covering several processing seasons.

The petitioners stated that to meet the standard when packing

certain newer varieties of sweetpotatoes (i.e. Beauregard), the cans

must be over-filled. This condition may cause damage to the

sweetpotatoes resulting in downgrading the product, and may have an

adverse effect on the integrity of the can seam closure. If the seal's

integrity is lost during processing, the product's wholesomeness is

jeopardized.

The petitioners contend that a unilateral reduction in drained

weight requirements in the grade standard is indicated due to the

varietal characteristics of sweetpotatoes currently available for

processing.

AMS has reviewed the petitions and data submitted, and has gathered

information from government and industry sources. Initial findings do

substantiate that there may be a disparity between the drained weights

for canned sweetpotatoes processed before 1985 and those processed

since the newer varieties have become predominant.

One study showed that in 1989, a producer maintained an average

fill weight of 72.8 ounces. The resulting drained weights failed to

meet the minimum of 73.0 ounces in only 31 percent of production. By

1995, the average fill weight had been raised to 77.2 ounces, a full

4.2 ounces over the minimum drained weight. Despite this increase, 55

percent of production failed to meet 73 ounces after processing. This

overfill not only penalized the processor financially but also

threatened product quality and wholesomeness.

AMS is continuing to gather drained weight information on the newer

varieties of sweetpotatoes to ascertain an equitable recommended

minimum drained weight of canned sweetpotatoes. As an interim measure

while further studies are made, AMS proposes to lower the recommended

drained weight for sweetpotatoes packed in retail size cans, including

No. 10 size cans, by two percent, and add the recommended drained

weight criteria for the No. 300 can.

The No. 300 size can was not included in the last revision of the

grades standard, but is being added because of the increased usage of

this can size. The percentage water capacity, on which the recommended

minimum drained weight averages are based, is calculated by dividing

the RMDWA by the total water capacity of the container. The drained

weight of the No. 300 can is based on the percentage water capacity

available in the No. 303 can, which is very similar in size. As the

canning industry has been replacing production of the No. 303 container

size with the No. 300 can, it seems appropriate to include the RMDWA

for No. 300 cans along with the other drained weight changes in the

standard.

A 60-day comment period is provided for interested persons to

comment on changes to the standards.

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

Dated: January 9, 1998.

Robert C. Keeney,

Deputy Administrator, Fruit and Vegetable Programs.

[FR Doc. 98-1054 Filed 1-14-98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410-02-P