[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 160 (Wednesday, August 19, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50262-50263]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-20445]
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Notices
Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules
or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings
and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings,
delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency
statements of organization and functions are examples of documents
appearing in this section.
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Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 160 / Wednesday, August 19, 2015 /
Notices
[[Page 50262]]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Agricultural Marketing Service
[Document Number AMS-FV-14-0016, FV-14-326]
United States Standards for Grades of Canned Baked Beans
AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice and request for comments.
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SUMMARY: The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) of the Department of
Agriculture (USDA) proposes to revise the United States Standards for
Grades of Canned Baked Beans. AMS is proposing to replace process-
specific language ``Product description'' in the standard with language
reflective of current canned baked bean manufacturing practices.
Additionally, AMS proposes separating the canned dried beans, canned
pork and beans, and canned baked beans grade standards from one shared
standard document into three separate standard documents. These changes
would bring the grade standards for canned baked beans in line with the
present quality levels being marketed today and would provide guidance
in the effective use of these products.
DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before October 19, 2015.
ADDRESSES: Written comments may be submitted via the Internet: http://www.regulations.gov; by email [email protected]; or by mail to
Brian E. Griffin, Standardization Branch, Specialty Crops Inspection
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. Copies of the proposed revised United States Standards for Grades
of Canned Baked Beans are available at the addresses cited above and at
the AMS Web site at: http://www.ams.usda.gov/scihome. All comments
should reference the document number, date, and page number of this
issue of the Federal Register. All comments will be posted without
change, including any personal information provided. All comments
submitted in response to this notice will be included in the public
record and will be made available to the public on the Internet via
http://www.regulations.gov. Comments will be made available for public
inspection at the above address during regular business hours or can be
viewed at: http://www.regulations.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Contact Brian E. Griffin at the
address above, phone (202) 720-5021, or fax (202) 690-1527.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: AMS is proposing to revise the U.S.
Standards for Grades of Canned Baked Beans using the procedures that
appear in part 36 of Title 7 of the Code of Federal Regulations (7 CFR
part 36). Section 203(c) of the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 (7
U.S.C. 1621-1627), 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 standards available upon request. The U.S.
standards for grades of fruits and vegetables that are not connected
with Federal marketing orders or U.S. import requirements no longer
appear in the Code of Federal Regulations, but are maintained by USDA,
AMS, Fruit and Vegetable Program, and are available on the Internet at:
http://www.ams.usda.gov/scihome.
Background: In September 2013, AMS received a petition from a
professor emeritus in food science from Michigan State University
asking AMS to consider revising the current U.S. grade standards for
canned baked beans to account for advances in industry processing
technology. The petitioner requested the removal of the following text
from the text of the Product description: ``The product is prepared by
washing, soaking, and baking by the application of dry heat in open or
loosely covered containers in a closed oven at atmospheric pressure for
sufficient prolonged time to produce a typical texture and flavor'' and
replacing it with the following text, ``The product is prepared by
heating beans and sauce in a closed or open container for a period of
time sufficient to provide texture, flavor, color and consistency
attributes that are typical for this product.''
AMS believes the text ``washing, soaking'' needs to be retained and
proposes the following revision to the text of the Product description:
``The product is prepared by washing, soaking, and heating beans and
sauce in a closed or open container for a period of time sufficient to
provide texture, flavor, color, and consistency attributes that are
typical for this product.''
A copy of the petitioner's request and supporting documentation is
located on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov along with the
current U.S. Standards for Grades of Canned Baked Beans together with
the revisions proposed in this notice. The proposed revisions to these
grade standards would provide a common language for trade and better
reflect the current marketing of canned baked beans.
Additional proposed changes to the U.S. Standards for Grades of
Canned Baked Beans include separating the canned dried beans grade
standards, canned pork and beans grade standards, and the canned baked
beans grade standards into individual standard documents. These grade
standards are currently recognized as three individual standards, but
are contained in one document. No changes to content are recommended at
this time for the canned dried beans or canned pork and beans grade
standards.
In December 2013, AMS developed a discussion draft of the revised
canned baked bean grade standards that included the proposed changes.
This draft was distributed to the U.S. Dry Bean Council (USDBC), a
trade association representing U.S. growers, shippers, processors,
packagers, and canners of dry beans; and to the Grocery Manufacturers
Association (GMA), a trade association of the food industry. Members of
the USDBC and GMA
[[Page 50263]]
reviewed the discussion draft. Responding members supported the
proposed changes to the Product description, and the proposed change to
separate the canned dried beans, canned pork and beans, and the canned
baked beans grade standards into the documents.
Additionally, AMS submitted the discussion draft to the U.S. Food
and Drug Administration (FDA) for guidance on the proposed changes. The
FDA expressed concern over the removal of the term ``baking'' from the
process while continuing to use the term ``baked'' as part of the name
of the food. The FDA did not object to a name that appropriately
describes the food as per the regulations in 21 CFR 101.3.
AMS discussed further FDA's concerns with the petitioner. A second
discussion draft was developed and submitted to the FDA and received a
positive response. The second discussion draft was then submitted to
the aforementioned industry groups for a second round of comments. Both
groups responded positively to the changes.
The proposed revised text for Section 52.6461 Product description
reads as follows: ``The product is prepared by washing, soaking, and
baking beans and sauce through the application of heat in a closed or
open container for a period of time sufficient to provide texture,
flavor, color, and consistency attributes that are typical for this
product.''
Agricultural Marketing Service
AMS is soliciting comments on the proposed revision of the U.S.
Standards for Grades of Canned Baked Beans. In particular, AMS would
welcome comments and information regarding the possible impact on
processors and growers. Further details are provided in the petition
and are available from Brian E. Griffin at the previously mentioned
address in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section or can be found
on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov. This notice provides for
a 60-day comment period for interested parties to comment on the
proposed revision of the U.S. Standards for Grades of Canned Baked
Beans.
Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1621-1627.
Dated: August 13, 2015.
Rex A. Barnes,
Associate Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-20445 Filed 8-18-15; 8:45 am]
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