Meat and poultry inspection: Consumer protection standards— Washing and chilling processes; retained water in raw meat and poultry products; poultry chilling performance standards; correction,

[Federal Register: October 26, 1998 (Volume 63, Number 206)]

[Proposed Rules]

[Page 57078]

From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

[DOCID:fr26oc98-13]

Proposed Rules Federal Register

This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains notices to the public of the proposed issuance of rules and regulations. The purpose of these notices is to give interested persons an opportunity to participate in the rule making prior to the adoption of the final rules.

[[Page 57078]]

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food Safety and Inspection Service

9 CFR Part 381

[Docket No. 97-054P]

RIN 0583-AC28

Retained Water in Raw Meat and Poultry Products; Poultry Chilling Performance Standards

AGENCY: Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Correction to proposed rule.

SUMMARY: This document contains corrections to the proposed rule (Docket No. 97-054P) which was published Friday, September 11, 1998 (63 FR 48961). The proposed rule would limit the amount of water retained by raw, single-ingredient, meat and poultry products as a result of post-evisceration processing, such as carcass washing and chilling. The proposed rule also would revise the poultry chilling regulations to remove ``command-and-control'' features and make them consistent with current technological capabilities, good manufacturing practices, and the pathogen reduction/hazard analysis and critical control points (PR/ HACCP) regulations.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before December 10, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Submit one original and one copy of written comments to Docket Clerk, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service, Room 102, 300 12th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20250-3700. Please refer to docket number 97-054P in your comments. All comments submitted in response to this proposal, as well as research and background information used by FSIS in developing this document, will be available for public inspection in the Docket Clerk's Office between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Patricia F. Stolfa, Assistant Deputy Administrator, Office of Policy, Program Development, and Evaluation, Food Safety and Inspection Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington DC 20250-3700: (202) 205-0699.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

The proposed rule that is the subject of these corrections would limit the amount of water retained by raw, single ingredient, meat and poultry products as a result of post-evisceration processing, such as carcass washing and chilling. Meat and poultry carcasses and parts would not be permitted to contain water resulting from post- evisceration processing unless the establishment demonstrates that water retention is necessary to meet applicable food safety requirements, such as pathogen reduction performance standards. In addition, the establishment would have to disclose on the product label the maximum percentage of retained water that could be in the product.

FSIS is also proposing to revise the poultry chilling regulations to improve consistency with the Pathogen Reduction/Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (PR/HACCP) regulations, eliminate ``command- and-control'' features, and reflect current technological capabilities and good manufacturing practices.

Need for Correction

As published, the proposed rule contained errors in the regulatory text that could prove to be misleading because they reflect unintended changes in the current regulations and are inconsistent with the preamble explanation.

Correction of Publication

Accordingly, the publication on September 11, 1998, of the proposed rule (Docket No. 97-054P), which was the subject of FR Docket 98-24309, is corrected as follows:

Sec. 381.65 [Corrected]

Paragraph 1. On page 48968, in the third column, in Sec. 381.65, after paragraph (e)(2), paragraph (f) is added to read:

``(f) Poultry carcasses contaminated with visible fecal material shall be prevented from entering the chilling tank.''

Sec. 381.66 [Corrected]

Paragraph 1. On page 48969, in the first column, paragraph (c)(3) is revised to read as follows:

``(c)(3) Previously chilled poultry carcasses and major portions shall be maintained constantly at 40 deg.F or below until removed from the vats or tanks for immediate packaging. Such products may be removed from the vats or tanks prior to being cooled to 40 deg.F or below, for freezing or cooling in the official establishment. Such products shall not be packed until after they have been chilled to 40 deg.F or below, except when the packaging will be followed immediately by freezing at the official establishment.'' * * * * *

Dated: October 20, 1998. Thomas J. Billy, Administrator.

[FR Doc. 98-28543Filed10-23-98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410-DM-P