[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 166 (Monday, August 27, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51750-51751]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-21054]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Agricultural Marketing Service
[Document No. AMS-FV-11-0050, FV-12-328]
United States Standards for Grades of Grapefruit Juice
AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) of the Department of
Agriculture (USDA) has revised the United States Standards for Grades
of Grapefruit Juice. The grade standards for grapefruit juice have been
changed to remove the parameters for maximum ``free and suspended
pulp'' to account for advances in industry processing technology.
DATES: Effective Date: September 26, 2012.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Brian E. Griffin, Inspection and
Standardization Branch, Processed Products Division, Fruit and
Vegetable Program, Agricultural Marketing Service, U.S. Department of
Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Room 0709, South Building;
STOP 0247, Washington, DC 20250; fax: (202) 690-1527; or Internet at
http://www.regulations.gov. The U.S. Standards for Grades of Grapefruit
Juice are available through the address cited above and on the AMS Web
site at http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/processedinspection.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 203(c) of the Agricultural Marketing
Act of 1946 (7 U.S.C. 1624-1627), 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 grade standards available upon request. Those voluntary
U.S. Standards for Grades of Fruits and Vegetables no longer appear in
the Code of Federal Regulations, 7 CFR part 52, but are maintained by
USDA, AMS, Fruit and Vegetable Programs. AMS is revising the U.S.
Standards for Grades of Grapefruit Juice using the procedures that
appear in part 36 of Title 7 of the Code of Federal Regulations (7 CFR
part 36).
Background
AMS received a petition from the Florida Citrus Processors
Association, an association of citrus producers, requesting revisions
to the U.S. Standards for Grades of Grapefruit Juice. The petitioner
requested the removal of the maximum limit for ``free and suspended
pulp'' (referred to in the industry as ``sinking pulp'') from the U.S.
grade standards for all forms of grapefruit juice.
The grade standards, effective since September 12, 1983, provided
that grapefruit juice from concentrate, grapefruit juice, and frozen
concentrated grapefruit juice establish limits for maximum free and
suspended pulp as follows: ``Grade A''--10 percent by volume, and
``Grade B''--15 percent by volume. Concentrated grapefruit juice for
manufacturing requirements for maximum free and suspended pulp are as
follows: ``Grade A''--10 percent by volume, and ``Grade B''--12 percent
by volume.
The petitioner believes that, with respect to maximum values for
``free and suspended pulp'', the existing U.S. Standards for Grades of
Grapefruit Juice do not take into account modern extraction and
finishing technologies, nor are they supported by evidence of a
correlation between these criteria and acceptable flavor. The
petitioner also believes that removing the ``free and suspended pulp''
values from the grade standards would allow processors to process the
entire grapefruit crop without resorting to expensive technologies that
increase the cost of juice with no concomitant benefit. More mature
grapefruit tends to be sweeter, but when juiced, tends to cause the
product to exceed maximum free and suspended pulp values.
Processing technologies used in the early 1940s were considerably
different than the technologies in place today. In the developmental
stages of the citrus industry, the amount of sinking pulp was an
indication of excessive pressures used in extraction and finishing of
citrus juice, resulting in bitter flavor. It was noted that sinking
pulp levels could be correlated to bitter flavor. The bitter flavors
are due to the naturally occurring naringin and limonin components
found in grapefruit juice. Although bitterness is an inherent
contributor to what we know as ``grapefruit flavor,'' an excessive
amount of bitterness can be objectionable to some consumers.
Current industry practices have shown us that sinking pulp levels
can be greatly influenced by modern processing techniques, which
eliminate the correlation between sinking pulp and excessive
bitterness.
The petitioner submitted research data covering a six season period
which illustrates levels of sinking pulp vs. naringin, and levels of
sinking pulp vs. limonin using variations in extractor settings. The
petitioner also submitted data on a sensory evaluation performed by the
University of Florida on consumer acceptability of grapefruit juice
with two free and suspended pulp levels. The petitioner's research data
supports the premise that modern extraction and finishing technologies
produce a product where there is no correlation between grapefruit
juice flavor components associated with bitter and off flavor i.e.,
naringin and limonin, and free and suspended pulp levels.
Prior to undertaking research and other work associated with
revising the
[[Page 51751]]
grade standards, AMS sought public comments on the petition (see 76 FR
51343).
Two comments were received regarding this petition. One comment was
from a trade association with international membership; and one comment
was from a trade association in the U.S. representing over 8,000 citrus
growers. Both comments were in support of the petition to remove the
maximum limit for ``free and suspended pulp'' from the U.S. Standards
for Grades of Grapefruit Juice.
AMS sought public comments a second time on the petition (see 77 FR
6773). One comment was received regarding this petition from a trade
association with international membership in support of the petition to
remove the maximum limit for ``free and suspended pulp'' from the U.S.
Standards for Grades of Grapefruit Juice.
This revision of the U.S. Standards for Grades of Grapefruit Juice
better reflects the current industry processing technology for
grapefruit juice.
Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1621-1627.
Dated: August 21, 2012.
David R. Shipman,
Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 2012-21054 Filed 8-24-12; 8:45 am]
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