[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 115 (Friday, June 16, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27680-27682]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-12563]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food Safety and Inspection Service
[Docket No. FSIS-2017-0016]
Availability of FSIS Compliance Guidelines for Small and Very
Small Meat and Poultry Establishments Regarding Lethality and
Stabilization in Meat and Poultry Products (Previously Referred to as
Appendices A and B)
AGENCY: Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of availability and request for comment
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SUMMARY: The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is announcing
the availability of and requesting comments on two updated compliance
guidelines for small and very small businesses. The new guidelines will
assist small and very small meat and poultry establishments understand
and comply with the regulatory requirements associated with the
destruction of Salmonella and other pathogens (lethality) in ready-to-
eat (RTE) products and the control of pathogen growth in heat-treated
RTE and not-ready-to-eat (NRTE) products during cooling and hot-holding
(stabilization). FSIS is including the time-temperature tables and
cooling options in these guidelines that were previously in Appendices
A and B, originally made available in 1999, along with new
recommendations establishments can use to achieve lethality and
stabilization of these products.
DATES: Submit Comments on or before August 15, 2017.
ADDRESSES: Downloadable versions of the compliance guidelines are
available to view and print at https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/wcm/connect/bf3f01a1-a0b7-4902-a2df-a87c73d1b633/Salmonella-Compliance-Guideline-SVSP-;RTE-Appendix-A.pdf?MOD=AJPERES and https://
www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/wcm/connect/
[[Page 27681]]
9ac49aba-46bc-443c-856b-59a3f51b924f/Compliance-Guideline-
Stabilization-Appendix-B.pdf?MOD=AJPERES once copies of the guidelines
have been published. FSIS invites interested persons to submit comments
on this guidance. Comments may be submitted by one of the following
methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: This Web site provides the ability to
type short comments directly into the comment field on this Web page or
attach a file for lengthier comments. Go to http://www.regulations.gov/. Follow the on-line instructions at that site for
submitting comments.
Mail, including CD-ROMs: Send to Docket Clerk, U.S. Department of
Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service, Patriots Plaza 3, 1400
Independence Avenue SW., Mailstop 3782, Room 8-163B, Washington, DC
20250-3700.
Hand- or courier-delivered submittals: Deliver to Patriots Plaza 3,
355 E Street SW., Room 8-163A, Washington, DC 20250-3700.
Instructions: All items submitted by mail or electronic mail must
include the Agency name, FSIS, and document title: FSIS Compliance
Guideline for Stabilization (Cooling and Hot-Holding) of Fully and
Partially Heat-Treated RTE and NRTE Meat and Poultry Products Produced
by Small and Very Small Establishments and Revised Appendix B 2017
Compliance Guideline. Comments received will be made available for
public inspection and posted without change, including any personal
information, to http://www.regulations.gov.
Docket: For access to background documents or to comment received,
go to the FSIS Docket Room at Patriots Plaza 3, 355 E Street SW., Room
164-A, Washington, DC 20250-3700 between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.,
Monday through Friday.
For Further Information Contact: Roberta Wagner, Assistant
Administrator, Office of Policy and Program Development; Telephone:
(202) 205-0495.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
FSIS is making available an updated compliance guideline regarding
the requirements for the destruction of Salmonella and other pathogens
(lethality) in RTE meat and poultry products, entitled FSIS Salmonella
Compliance Guideline for Small and Very Small Meat and Poultry
Establishments that Produce Ready-to-Eat (RTE) Products and Revised
Appendix A. The updated guideline provides clarification regarding
options for establishments to support an alternative lethality (i.e.,
at least a 5-log reduction of Salmonella, rather than a 6.5-log
reduction) for roast, cooked, and corned beef per 9 CFR 318.17(a)(1); a
definition of ``pasteurization'' and guidance on how establishments can
label products as ``pasteurized''; and updated information gathered
from FSIS Food Safety Assessments (FSAs), which are in-depth
assessments of establishments' food safety systems to verify that
regulatory requirements are met. The guideline also combines and
replaces information from the following previously issued guidance
documents:
Appendix A Compliance Guidelines for Meeting Lethality
Performance Standards for certain Meat and Poultry Products.
Appendix A Guidance on Relative Humidity and Time/
Temperature for Cooking/Heating and Applicability to Production of
Other Ready-to-Eat Meat and Poultry Products (Appendix A Humidity
Guidance).
Time-Temperature Tables for Cooking Ready-to-Eat Poultry
Products.
FSIS Guidance on Safe Cooking of Non-Intact Meat Chops,
Roasts, and Steaks (5-log Table).
FSIS also is making available an updated guideline on the control
of pathogen growth in heat-treated RTE and NRTE meat and poultry
products during cooling and hot-holding (stabilization), entitled FSIS
Compliance Guideline for Stabilization (Cooling and Hot-Holding) of
Fully and Partially Heat-Treated RTE and NRTE Meat and Poultry Products
Produced by Small with Very Small Establishments and Revised Appendix
B. Hot-holding is the process of holding meat and poultry products at
hot temperatures (typically above 130[deg]F) prior to distribution.
Although stabilization is commonly associated with RTE products, the
concepts and many of the recommendations in this guideline can apply to
heat-treated NRTE products as well.
This updated stabilization guideline contains recommendations
previously found in FSIS Appendix B: Compliance Guidelines for Cooling
Heat-Treated Meat and Poultry Products (Stabilization) and FSIS
Directive 7110.3, Rev. 1, Time/Temperature Guidelines for Cooling
Heated Products. It also contains additional guidance not previously
found in either document, including:
The regulatory requirements associated with stabilization
(cooling and hot-holding);
The scientific support documents available to help develop
a safe process and product;
Recommended corrective actions in the event of a cooling
deviation; and
Additional options for cooling meat and poultry products,
including requesting a waiver.
Specifically in regard to waivers, this stabilization guideline
describes information that establishments may use to request a waiver
from the regulatory performance standards in 9 CFR 318.17(a)(2),
318.23(b)(3)(ii)(c), and 381.150(a)(2) to allow up to a 2-
log10 multiplication of C. perfringens within a product,
provided no multiplication of C. botulinum occurs. The Agency will
evaluate waiver requests and use this information to potentially amend
the regulations. Notably, FSIS has determined that establishments do
not have to provide data that allowing up to 2-log10
multiplication of C. perfringens will result in no multiplication of C.
botulinum as part of the waiver request.
Small Business Regulatory Flexibility Act Compliance
Both guidance documents are targeting small and very small
establishments in support of the Small Business Administration's
initiative to provide small and very small establishments with
compliance assistance under the Small Business Regulatory Flexibility
Act (SBRFA). It is important that small and very small establishments
have access to the scientific and technical support needed to establish
safe and effective HACCP systems. However, all FSIS regulated meat and
poultry establishments may be able to apply the recommendations in this
guideline.
Additional Public Notification
Public awareness of all segments of rulemaking and policy
development is important. Consequently, FSIS will announce this Federal
Register publication on-line through the FSIS Web page located at:
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/federal-register.
FSIS also will make copies of this publication available through
the FSIS Constituent Update, which is used to provide information
regarding FSIS policies, procedures, regulations, Federal Register
notices, FSIS public meetings, and other types of information that
could affect or would be of interest to our constituents and
stakeholders. The Update is available on the FSIS Web page. Through the
Web page, FSIS is able to provide information to a much broader, more
diverse audience. In addition, FSIS offers an email subscription
service which provides
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automatic and customized access to selected food safety news and
information. This service is available at: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/subscribe. Options range from recalls to export information,
regulations, directives, and notices. Customers can add or delete
subscriptions themselves, and have the option to password-protect their
accounts.
USDA Nondiscrimination Statement
No agency, officer, or employee of the USDA shall, on the grounds
of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual
orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status,
income derived from a public assistance program, or political beliefs,
exclude from participation in, deny the benefits of, or subject to
discrimination, any person in the United States under any program or
activity conducted by the USDA.
To file a complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program
Discrimination Complaint Form, which may be accessed online at: http://www.ocio.usda.gov/sites/default/files/docs/2012/Complain_combined_6_8_12.pdf, or write a letter signed by you or your
authorized representative.
Send your completed complaint form or letter to USDA by mail, fax,
or email:
Mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Director, Office of
Adjudication, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20250-9410.
Fax: (202) 690-7442.
Email: [email protected].
Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for
communication (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact
USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD).
Done at Washington, DC on: June 8, 2017.
Alfred V. Almanza,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2017-12563 Filed 6-15-17; 8:45 am]
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