WASHINGTON -- USDA's food Safety & Inspection Service is seeking further public comments on a supplemental proposed nutrition labeling rule for single-ingredient products and ground or chopped meat and poultry products.
This supplemental proposed rule responds to all comments received on the Jan. 18, 2001, proposed rule and explains how the agency intends to proceed with a final rule.
Because of the length of time that has elapsed since the Jan. 18, 2001, publication of the proposed rule, FSIS issued the supplemental proposed rule to obtain public comment on issues for which new information has become available.
The National Chicken Council noted that under the supplemental proposal, major cuts of chicken (whole chicken without neck and giblets, breasts, thighs, drumsticks, and wings) will be required to provide nutritional information either on the retail package label or as point-of-purchase information at the retail establishment. The nutrition information may be provided on either an "as packaged" or "as consumed" basis. However, a declaration of the number of servings per package would not be required. In addition, if nutrition information for these products is based on USDA's National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, and no label claims are made on the label, FSIS will not subject "as packaged" nutrition information to verification analysis. FSIS intends to allow one year after publication of its final rule for compliance with this provision.
Ground or chopped poultry products will have to comply by Jan. 1, 2012. Under the supplemental proposal, ground or chopped poultry products, with or without added seasoning, will be required to bear nutrition information on their retail package label. Point-of-purchase nutrition information would not be permitted. In addition, these products will be subject to FSIS sampling and nutrition analyses verification.
Comments on the supplemental proposed rule are due by Feb. 16. Submissions can be made through the federal e-rulemaking portal at www.regulations.gov or sent to the Docket Clerk, USDA, FSIS, Room 2-2127, George Washington Carver Center, 5601 Sunnyside Ave., Beltsville, Md. 20705.
A copy of the proposed rule is available at http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/pdf/E9-29323.pdf.
For further information, please call Poultry and Egg News at 770-536-2476 to subscribe.
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