82_FR_39819 82 FR 39658 - United States Standards for Grades of Frozen Onions

82 FR 39658 - United States Standards for Grades of Frozen Onions

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Agricultural Marketing Service

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 161 (August 22, 2017)

Page Range39658-39659
FR Document2017-17642

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) of the Department of Agriculture (USDA) is establishing voluntary United States Standards for Grades of Frozen Onions. The grade standards provide a common language for trade, a means of measuring value in the marketing of frozen onions, and guidance on the effective use of frozen onions.

Federal Register, Volume 82 Issue 161 (Tuesday, August 22, 2017) 
[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 161 (Tuesday, August 22, 2017)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 39658-39659]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2017-17642]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

7 CFR Part 52

[Document Number AMS-FV-08-0076; SC-17-330]


United States Standards for Grades of Frozen Onions

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.

ACTION: Final notification.

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SUMMARY: The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) of the Department of 
Agriculture (USDA) is establishing voluntary United States Standards 
for Grades of Frozen Onions. The grade standards provide a common 
language for trade, a means of measuring value in the marketing of 
frozen onions, and guidance on the effective use of frozen onions.

DATES: Effective Date: September 21, 2017.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Contact Brian E. Griffin, Agricultural 
Marketing Specialist, Specialty Crops Inspection Division, Specialty 
Crops Program, Agricultural Marketing Service, U.S. Department of 
Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Room 1536, South Building; 
STOP 0240, Washington, DC 20250; telephone (202) 720-5021; fax (202) 
690-1527; or, email [email protected]. Copies of the new U.S. 
Standards for Grades of Frozen Onions are available at http://www.regulations.gov or http://www.ams.usda.gov/.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 203(c) of the Agricultural Marketing 
Act of 1946 (Act) (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 grade standards available upon request. The United States 
Standards for Grades of Fruits and Vegetables unrelated to Federal 
Marketing Orders or U.S. Import Requirements no longer appear in the 
Code of Federal Regulations, but are maintained by USDA, AMS, Specialty 
Crops Program, and are available at https://www.ams.usda.gov/grades-standards.
    AMS is establishing the U.S. Standards for Grades of Frozen Onions 
using the procedures in part 36, Title 7 of the Code of Federal 
Regulations (7 CFR part 36).
    Background: The American Frozen Food Institute (AFFI) petitioned 
AMS to develop new grade standards for frozen onions. AFFI is a 
national trade association representing the interests of U.S. frozen 
food processors and their suppliers in all frozen food sectors, 
including processors and packers of frozen onions. AFFI's more than 500 
member companies represent approximately 90 percent of all frozen food 
processed annually in the United States. The AFFI petition provided 
information on product styles, sample sizes, and a product description 
for use in the grade standards.
    AMS asked the petitioner for various styles of samples in order to 
determine grades of frozen onions. AMS distributed several discussion 
drafts of proposed standards to AFFI, instituted changes to the drafts 
once agreement was reached, then published several Federal Register 
documents in order to receive comments from all interested parties (see 
66 FR 21116, 68 FR 11801, 68 FR 27010, 76 FR 31575, 81 FR 84506, and 82 
FR 12424).

Comments

    In the most recent comments published November 23, 2016, in 81 FR 
84506, and extended comment period published March 3, 2017, in 82 FR 
12424, AMS received 19 comments. All comments received were from the 
general public. Three commenters stated they did not feel there was a 
need for Government grades of frozen onions. AMS developed the proposed 
U.S. Standards for Grades of Frozen Onions at the request of, and in 
cooperation with, the frozen food industry. The U.S.

[[Page 39659]]

Standards for Grades of Frozen Onions are voluntary standards for 
grades of quality and condition, and are not Government mandated for 
general use. The remaining 16 comments received were in agreement with 
the proposed standard. Comments may be viewed at www.regulations.gov.
    These standards establish the grade levels ``A,'' ``B,'' and 
``Substandard,'' as well as Acceptable Quality Levels (AQL) tolerances 
and acceptance numbers for each quality factor as defined for each 
grade level.
    AMS used the standard format for U.S. standards for grades using 
``individual attributes.'' Specifically, the grade standards provide 
tolerance limits for defects; acceptance numbers of allowable defects 
with single letter grade designation based on a specified number or 
weight of sample units; a product description for frozen onions; and, 
style designations for ``whole,'' ``strips,'' ``diced,'' and ``other'' 
styles. The standard also defines quality factors, AQLs, and tolerances 
for defects in frozen onions, and determines sample unit sizes for this 
commodity. The grade of a sample unit of frozen onions will be 
ascertained considering the factors of varietal characteristics, color, 
flavor and odor, appearance, absence of grit or dirt, defects, and 
character.
    The official grade of a lot of frozen onions covered by these 
standards will be determined by the procedures set forth in the 
Regulations Governing Inspection and Certification of Processed 
Products Thereof, and Certain Other Processed Food Products (7 CFR part 
52 through 52.83).
    The new U.S. Standards for Grades of Frozen Onions provide a common 
language for trade and reflect the current marketing of frozen onions. 
The standards will be effective 30 days after the date of publication 
in the Federal Register.

    Authority:  7 U.S.C. 1621-1627.

    Dated: August 16, 2017.
Bruce Summers,
Acting Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-17642 Filed 8-21-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3410-02-P

39658 Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 161 / Tuesday, August 22, 2017 / Rules and Regulations § 51.2951 [Removed and reserved] ■ 14. In § 51.2954, the table is revised to § 51.2954 Tolerances for grade defects. ■ 13. Section 51.2951 is removed and read as follows: * * * * * reserved. TOLERANCES FOR GRADE DEFECTS Kernel color based on USDA Kernel color Grade External (shell) defects Internal (kernel) defects Walnut Color Chart based on red U.S. No. 1 ...... 10%, by count, for splits. 5%, 10% total, by count, including not more than No tolerance to reduce the by count, for other shell 6% which are damaged by mold or in- required 70% of ‘‘light defects, including not more sects or seriously damaged by other amber’’ kernels or the re- than 3% seriously dam- means, of which not more than 5⁄6 or 5% quired 40% of ‘‘light’’ ker- aged. may be damaged by insects, but no part nels or any larger percent- of any tolerance shall be allowed for wal- age of ‘‘light amber’’ or nuts containing live insects. ‘‘light’’ kernels specified. U.S. No. 2 ...... 10%, by count, for splits. 15% total, by count, including not more than No tolerance to reduce the 10%, by count, for other 8% which are damaged by mold or in- required 60% or any speci- shell defects, including not sects or seriously damaged by other fied larger percentage of more than 5% serious means, of which not more than 5/8 or 5% ‘‘light amber’’ kernels, or damage by adhering hulls. may be damaged by insects, but no part any specified percentage of any tolerance shall be allowed for wal- of ‘‘light’’ kernels. nuts containing live insects. U.S. No. 3 ...... Same as above tolerance for Same as above tolerance for U.S. No. 2 ..... No tolerance to reduce any U.S. No. 2. percentage of ‘‘light amber’’ or ‘‘light’’ kernel specified. Dated: August 16, 2017. 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Room develop new grade standards for frozen Bruce Summers, 1536, South Building; STOP 0240, onions. AFFI is a national trade Acting Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Washington, DC 20250; telephone (202) association representing the interests of Service. 720–5021; fax (202) 690–1527; or, email U.S. frozen food processors and their [FR Doc. 2017–17641 Filed 8–21–17; 8:45 am] brian.griffin@ams.usda.gov. Copies of suppliers in all frozen food sectors, BILLING CODE 3410–02–P the new U.S. Standards for Grades of including processors and packers of Frozen Onions are available at http:// frozen onions. AFFI’s more than 500 www.regulations.gov or http:// member companies represent DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE www.ams.usda.gov/. approximately 90 percent of all frozen SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section food processed annually in the United Agricultural Marketing Service 203(c) of the Agricultural Marketing Act States. The AFFI petition provided of 1946 (Act) (7 U.S.C. 1621–1627), as information on product styles, sample 7 CFR Part 52 amended, directs and authorizes the sizes, and a product description for use [Document Number AMS–FV–08–0076; SC– Secretary of Agriculture ‘‘to develop and in the grade standards. 17–330] improve standards of quality, condition, AMS asked the petitioner for various quantity, grade, and packaging, and styles of samples in order to determine United States Standards for Grades of recommend and demonstrate such grades of frozen onions. AMS Frozen Onions standards in order to encourage distributed several discussion drafts of uniformity and consistency in proposed standards to AFFI, instituted AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, commercial practices.’’ changes to the drafts once agreement USDA. AMS is committed to carrying out this was reached, then published several ACTION: Final notification. Federal Register documents in order to authority in a manner that facilitates the SUMMARY: The Agricultural Marketing marketing of agricultural commodities receive comments from all interested Service (AMS) of the Department of and makes copies of official grade parties (see 66 FR 21116, 68 FR 11801, Agriculture (USDA) is establishing standards available upon request. The 68 FR 27010, 76 FR 31575, 81 FR 84506, voluntary United States Standards for United States Standards for Grades of and 82 FR 12424). Grades of Frozen Onions. The grade Fruits and Vegetables unrelated to Comments standards provide a common language Federal Marketing Orders or U.S. Import for trade, a means of measuring value in Requirements no longer appear in the In the most recent comments the marketing of frozen onions, and Code of Federal Regulations, but are published November 23, 2016, in 81 FR guidance on the effective use of frozen maintained by USDA, AMS, Specialty 84506, and extended comment period onions. Crops Program, and are available at published March 3, 2017, in 82 FR https://www.ams.usda.gov/grades- 12424, AMS received 19 comments. All DATES: Effective Date: September 21, standards. comments received were from the sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with RULES 2017. AMS is establishing the U.S. general public. Three commenters stated FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Standards for Grades of Frozen Onions they did not feel there was a need for Contact Brian E. Griffin, Agricultural using the procedures in part 36, Title 7 Government grades of frozen onions. Marketing Specialist, Specialty Crops of the Code of Federal Regulations (7 AMS developed the proposed U.S. Inspection Division, Specialty Crops CFR part 36). Standards for Grades of Frozen Onions Program, Agricultural Marketing Background: The American Frozen at the request of, and in cooperation Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food Institute (AFFI) petitioned AMS to with, the frozen food industry. The U.S. VerDate Sep<11>2014 16:39 Aug 21, 2017 Jkt 241001 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 4700 Sfmt 4700 E:\FR\FM\22AUR1.SGM 22AUR1

Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 161 / Tuesday, August 22, 2017 / Rules and Regulations 39659 Standards for Grades of Frozen Onions DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 690–6519; Email: Evelyn.Arce@ are voluntary standards for grades of fsis.usda.gov, regarding additional quality and condition, and are not Food Safety and Inspection Service information about this meeting or to Government mandated for general use. arrange for special accommodations. The remaining 16 comments received 9 CFR Parts 530, 531, 532, 533, 534, Questions regarding the mandatory were in agreement with the proposed 537, 539, 540, 541, 544, 548, 550, 552, inspection of fish of the order standard. Comments may be viewed at 555, 557, 559, 560, and 561 Siluriformes and products derived from www.regulations.gov. such fish may be directed to AskFish@ [Docket No. FSIS–2017–0039] fsis.usda.gov. These standards establish the grade SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Further Educational Meeting on the Mandatory levels ‘‘A,’’ ‘‘B,’’ and ‘‘Substandard,’’ as information on these meetings will be Inspection of Fish of the Order well as Acceptable Quality Levels (AQL) posted on FSIS Web site at: https:// Siluriformes and Products Derived tolerances and acceptance numbers for From Such Fish Final Rule www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/ each quality factor as defined for each Implementation newsroom/meetings and through the grade level. FSIS Constituent Update. AMS used the standard format for AGENCY: Food Safety and Inspection The final rule may be accessed from U.S. standards for grades using Service, USDA. the FSIS Web site at: http:// ‘‘individual attributes.’’ Specifically, the ACTION: Notification of educational www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/ grade standards provide tolerance limits meeting. topics/regulations/federal-register/ interim-and-final-rules. Registration: To for defects; acceptance numbers of SUMMARY: The Food Safety and pre-register for the meeting, please go to allowable defects with single letter Inspection Service (FSIS) is announcing http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/ grade designation based on a specified an educational meeting to discuss the fsis/newsroom/meetings. number or weight of sample units; a enforcement and implementation of the product description for frozen onions; Final Rule, ‘‘Mandatory Inspection of Background and, style designations for ‘‘whole,’’ Fish of the Order Siluriformes and On December 2, 2015, FSIS published ‘‘strips,’’ ‘‘diced,’’ and ‘‘other’’ styles. Products Derived from Such Fish.’’ Fish the final rule to establish a mandatory The standard also defines quality of the order Siluriformes include fish of inspection program for fish of the order factors, AQLs, and tolerances for defects several families, including catfish (fish Siluriformes and products derived from in frozen onions, and determines of the family Ictaluridae), basa, tra, and these fish (80 FR 75590). The final rule sample unit sizes for this commodity. swai (fish of the family Pangasiidae), and other resources and information on The grade of a sample unit of frozen and clarias (fish of the Clariidae family). Siluriformes fish can be found on the onions will be ascertained considering FSIS will present information on the FSIS ‘‘Inspection Program for the factors of varietal characteristics, upcoming full implementation of the Siluriformes Fish, Including Catfish’’ color, flavor and odor, appearance, regulatory requirements at official Web page: https://www.fsis.usda.gov/ absence of grit or dirt, defects, and domestic establishments that process wps/portal/fsis/topics/inspection/ Siluriformes fish and fish products, as siluriformes. character. The final rule was effective March 1, well as information on entry procedures The official grade of a lot of frozen and reinspection at official import 2016; however, the Agency provided an onions covered by these standards will inspection establishments. FSIS is 18-month transitional period until be determined by the procedures set particularly interested in soliciting September 1, 2017, to give domestic forth in the Regulations Governing participation from representatives from establishments time to prepare and Inspection and Certification of domestic wild-caught operations that comply with the final regulations. The Processed Products Thereof, and Certain process Siluriformes fish and fish transitional period also provided foreign Other Processed Food Products (7 CFR products. countries with time to submit the part 52 through 52.83). The primary objectives of the meeting documentation necessary to continue are to provide updated information to exporting Siluriformes fish and fish The new U.S. Standards for Grades of stakeholders and to encourage dialogue products to the United States and to Frozen Onions provide a common between FSIS and the Siluriformes fish show that they have equivalent language for trade and reflect the inspection systems. current marketing of frozen onions. The industry. Affected industry and interested individuals, organizations, FSIS began inspecting domestic standards will be effective 30 days after establishments on March 1, 2016, and the date of publication in the Federal and other stakeholders are invited to participate in the meeting. began selecting imported Siluriformes Register. fish shipments for reinspection on April DATES: The meeting will be held in Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1621–1627. 15, 2016. During the transitional period, Webster, FL on Friday, August 25, 2017; FSIS inspection personnel have Dated: August 16, 2017. 10:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. ET, at the Florida exercised broad discretion in enforcing Bruce Summers, Bass Conservation Center, 3583 CR 788, the regulatory requirements, focusing Acting Administrator, Agricultural Marketing in Webster, FL. For directions and primarily on preventing adulterated or Service. parking instructions, please visit: http:// misbranded Siluriformes fish and fish myfwc.com/media/244914/FBCC_rack_ [FR Doc. 2017–17642 Filed 8–21–17; 8:45 am] products from entering commerce. card08.pdf. On August 2, 2017, to abide with BILLING CODE 3410–02–P sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with RULES FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: direction from Congress, FSIS began Evelyn Arce, Outreach and Partnership reinspecting all imported Siluriformes Division, Office of Outreach, Employee fish and fish products. Specifically, the Education and Training, FSIS, 1400 explanatory statement accompanying Independence Ave. SW., Mail Stop the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 3778, Washington, DC 20250; 2017, Public Law 115–31 Stat. 135, Telephone: (202) 418–8903; Fax: (202) enacted May 5, 2017, directed FSIS to VerDate Sep<11>2014 16:39 Aug 21, 2017 Jkt 241001 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 4700 Sfmt 4700 E:\FR\FM\22AUR1.SGM 22AUR1


Document Created: 2018-10-24 11:58:09
Document Modified: 2018-10-24 11:58:09
CategoryRegulatory Information
CollectionFederal Register
sudoc ClassAE 2.7:
GS 4.107:
AE 2.106:
PublisherOffice of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
SectionRules and Regulations
ActionFinal notification.
DatesEffective Date: September 21, 2017.
ContactContact Brian E. Griffin, Agricultural Marketing Specialist, Specialty Crops Inspection Division, Specialty Crops Program, Agricultural Marketing Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Room 1536, South Building; STOP 0240, Washington, DC 20250; telephone (202) 720-5021; fax (202) 690-1527; or, email [email protected] Copies of the new U.S. Standards for Grades of Frozen Onions are available at http:// www.regulations.gov or http://www.ams.usda.gov/.
FR Citation82 FR 39658 
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