Food Crediting in Child Nutrition Programs: Request for Information; Extension of Comment Period, 7139-7142 [2018-03376]
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Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 34 / Tuesday, February 20, 2018 / Notices
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food and Nutrition Service
[FNS–2017–0044]
Food Crediting in Child Nutrition
Programs: Request for Information;
Extension of Comment Period
Food and Nutrition Service
(FNS), USDA.
ACTION: Notice; Extension of Comment
Period.
AGENCY:
The National School Lunch
Program, School Breakfast Program,
Child and Adult Care Food Program,
and Summer Food Service Program
(Child Nutrition Programs), which are
administered by the United States
Department of Agriculture (USDA),
Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), play
a critical role in ensuring that America’s
children have access to the nutritious
food they need to learn and succeed in
the classroom, afterschool, and during
the summer. It is FNS’ responsibility to
establish and support the meal patterns
and nutrition standards (collectively
referred to as meal patterns) in the Child
Nutrition Programs that advance the
goals of providing nutritious and
satisfying meals to a broad population of
children. At the same time, FNS works
to simplify the menu planning process
for Program operators to promote the
efficient use of Program funds and
provide a wide variety of food choices
to menu planners and children.
In order to claim Federal
reimbursement, Child Nutrition
Program operators must serve meals and
snacks that meet the minimum meal
pattern requirements of the respective
Program. Crediting is the process
designed by FNS to specify how
individual food items contribute to the
Child Nutrition Programs’ meal
patterns. Several factors impact how
food products can credit toward
reimbursable meals, such as volume,
weight, and overall nutrient profile.
The purpose of this Request for
Information is to help FNS gather
feedback from a wide variety of
stakeholders on how FNS’ crediting
system can best address today’s
evolving food and nutrition
environment, as well as to offer first-rate
customer service to those operating and
benefitting from the Child Nutrition
Programs. FNS welcomes comments
from all interested stakeholders. While
FNS is interested in your general
comments about the crediting process,
FNS also invites comments on the
crediting of several specific food
products. FNS is especially interested in
understanding both the possible benefits
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and any negative impacts associated
with potential changes to how certain
foods may or may not credit.
FNS is extending the comment period
to provide additional time for interested
parties to review this Request for
Information.
DATES: The comment period for the
Request for Information that was
published on December 14, 2017 (82 FR
58792) has been extended from
February 12, 2018 to April 23, 2018. To
be assured of consideration, comments
must be received on or before April 23,
2018.
ADDRESSES:
Preferred method: Submit information
through the Federal eRulemaking Portal
at https://www.regulations.gov. Follow
the online instructions for submissions.
Mail: Submissions should be
addressed to School Programs Branch,
Policy and Program Development
Division, Food and Nutrition Service,
3101 Park Center Drive, 12th floor,
Alexandria, Virginia 22302.
All comments submitted in response
to this notice will be included in the
record and will be made available to the
public at https://www.regulations.gov.
Please be advised that the substance of
the comments and the identity of the
individuals or entities commenting will
be subject to public disclosure.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tina
Namian, Branch Chief, Policy and
Program Development, Child Nutrition
Programs, Food and Nutrition Service at
(703) 305–2590.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
Child Nutrition Programs’ Nutrition
Standards
One of the United States Department
of Agriculture (USDA), Food and
Nutrition Service’s (FNS) highest
priorities is to ensure that participants
in the National School Lunch Program
(NSLP), School Breakfast Program
(SBP), Child and Adult Care Food
Program (CACFP), and Summer Food
Service Program (SFSP) (collectively
referred to as the Child Nutrition
Programs) receive wholesome,
nutritious, and tasty meals. The Richard
B. Russell National School Lunch Act
(NSLA) and the Child Nutrition Act of
1966 (CNA) authorize FNS to establish
meal patterns and nutrition standards
(collectively referred to as meal
patterns) for the Child Nutrition
Programs. The NSLA requires FNS to
develop meal patterns that are
consistent with the recommendations of
the most recent Dietary Guidelines for
Americans (Dietary Guidelines) and
current nutrition research.
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The Child Nutrition Programs’ meal
patterns establish the foods and
minimum serving sizes that must be
served for a meal or snack to be
reimbursable. The meal patterns are
currently based on food groups
(components), not individual nutrients.
A reimbursable meal or snack includes
a certain amount (or combination) of
vegetables, fruits, fluid milk, grains, and
meats or meat alternates (e.g., protein
foods, such as chicken, and dairy foods,
such as yogurt). Each Child Nutrition
Program has individualized meal
patterns for the various age and grade
groups that participate in the Program.
The meal patterns were created to
enable children to be self-sufficient by
providing the adequate and consistent
levels of foods and nutrients children
need to learn and grow, as well as help
children build healthy habits that can
last a lifetime.
Crediting Methodology
Crediting is the process established by
FNS to determine how individual foods
contribute to the Child Nutrition
Programs’ meal patterns. A food is
considered creditable when it meets the
minimum standards that count toward a
reimbursable meal or snack. Generally,
this means foods are grouped into
categories of similar foods which are
credited in a similar way.
The main focus of FNS’ crediting
system is to provide simple information
that allows Child Nutrition Program
operators to (1) easily plan menus with
foods and quantities that meet the meal
patterns, and (2) offer foods in a way
that encourages healthy habits and
teaches children how to build balanced
meals. Crediting information is
conveyed through resources such as
FNS’ Food Buying Guide for Child
Nutrition Programs and other technical
assistance materials.
A number of factors impact how foods
credit toward a reimbursable meal. It is
critical that crediting decisions be made
on the fullest range of factors possible
to ensure transparency and consistency
in the crediting process. The overall
nutrient profile of a food is a primary
consideration. Foods in each food
component are based on a range of
nutrients instead of an individual food’s
nutrient profile. For example, foods in
the meats/meat alternates component
are grouped based on a collection of
nutrients that include protein, B
vitamins, selenium, choline,
phosphorus, zinc, and copper.
Therefore, different varieties of meat
(e.g., lean beef versus turkey) are not
currently evaluated separately based on
their protein content. The volume or
weight of the food is also an important
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factor in making crediting
determinations. All meats/meat
alternates and grains are credited in
ounces equivalencies. Fruits, vegetables,
and fluid milk are credited based on
volume served.
In addition, foods that credit toward
a reimbursable meal in the Child
Nutrition Programs sometimes have a
Federal standard of identity. Standards
of identity are established by the U.S.
Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
and the USDA Food Safety and
Inspection Service (FSIS). They are
mandatory requirements that determine
what a food must contain to be
marketed under a certain name. For
example, for a product to be labeled
peanut butter, it must meet the standard
of identity requirements that specify the
amount and type of ingredients that may
be included. Standards of identity assist
FNS in crediting because they provide
a common standard under which
specific foods are made. This allows
FNS to set crediting policy with
confidence that products from all
manufacturers will have the same
characteristics and, thus, make a
consistent contribution to the meal
patterns. There are some products on
the commercial market that do not have
an FDA or FSIS standard of identity, but
have industry-defined standards. FNS
first considers Federal standards of
identity when making crediting
decisions. When a Federal standard of
identity does not exist, then FNS may
use industry standards for production to
better understand the manufacturing
process.
FNS also considers the customary use
of a product. For example, some foods
are typically consumed as a snack food
and have not been considered
appropriate for including as part of a
meal in the Child Nutrition Programs.
Therefore, they are currently not
creditable. This is discussed more in
section II. Questions and Answers.
Finally, FNS considers the role of the
Child Nutrition Program in teaching
children healthy eating habits when
making crediting decisions.
Purpose and Scope
FNS’ objective in issuing this Request
for Information is to receive input from
a broad spectrum of stakeholders to
assist FNS in making informed
decisions on how FNS’ crediting system
can best address today’s evolving food
and nutrition environment, ensure
children have access to the nutrition
they need, and offer excellent customer
service to those operating and
benefitting from the Child Nutrition
Programs. It is important that FNS’
crediting system balances the
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nutritional needs of the Child Nutrition
Programs’ participants, as recommended
by the Dietary Guidelines, and the need
to offer flexibility and a wide range of
choices. FNS recognizes that new or
reformulated food products are regularly
entering the food market. These new or
reformulated food products can offer
more choices to menu planners and
children.
FNS is especially interested in
understanding both the possible benefits
and any negative impacts associated
with potential changes to how certain
foods may or may not credit. As such,
FNS is seeking feedback from all
interested stakeholders on the questions
listed below. Some questions address
specific foods due to a high volume of
interest in those products. However,
FNS is open to feedback about the
creditability of other food products as
well (see Questions 20–25) and
crediting process in general.
Additionally, while all comments are
welcome, FNS is particularly interested
in comments that are consistent with
the current statutory framework for the
Child Nutrition Programs.
II. Questions
Factors To Determine Crediting
FNS currently considers the following
factors when making crediting
decisions:
• Volume or weight of the food. All
meats/meat alternates and grains are
credited in ounces. Fruits, vegetables,
and fluid milk are credited based on
volume served. However, dried fruit
credits at twice the volume served and
raw, leafy greens credit as half the
volume served. Additionally, tomato
puree and tomato paste credit as if they
were reconstituted, instead of as volume
served.
1. Is it appropriate to continue to
credit foods based on the volume or
weight served, with the few exceptions
discussed above? Why or why not?
2. What are the benefits and negative
impacts of having different crediting
values for different forms of vegetables
and fruits?
• Overall nutrient profile. Foods in
each component are based on a range of
nutrients instead of an individual food’s
nutrient profile. For example, foods in
the meats/meat alternates component
are grouped based on a collection of
nutrients that include protein, B
vitamins, selenium, choline,
phosphorus, zinc, copper, and vitamins
D and E. Generally, FNS has not
considered fortification in the
creditability of foods.
3. Should fortification play a role in
determining if and how a food is
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credited in the Child Nutrition
Programs? Why or why not?
4. Is the presence of certain nutrients
more important than other nutrients
when determining if and how a food
credits in the Child Nutrition Programs?
Why or why not?
• Federal standards of identity and
industry standards of production. Many
creditable food products in the Child
Nutrition Programs have Federal
standards of identity or industry
standards for production. Standards of
identity assist FNS in crediting because
they ensure food products with the
same name have the same
characteristics and, therefore, make a
consistent contribution to the meal
patterns.
5. If a food product does not have a
Federal standard of identity or industry
standards for production, how could
these food products credit in the Child
Nutrition Programs? Please be as
specific as possible.
• Customary use of the food product.
Some foods are generally consumed as
snacks and, therefore, have not been
considered appropriate for service in the
Child Nutrition Programs. In other
cases, the volume of food required to
meet the minimum serving size would
be unreasonably large. In other cases,
such products do credit. For example,
tortillas and tortilla products, such as
taco shells, may credit as a grain item
in the Child Nutrition Programs because
in certain cultures they are served as the
grain component of a meal. (Please see
below for more information about
snack-type foods.)
6. Is it appropriate to continue to
consider the customary use of a product
when determining how a food credits in
the Child Nutrition Programs? Why or
why not?
• The role of the Child Nutrition
Program in teaching children healthy
eating habits. Meals and snacks served
in the Child Nutrition Programs act as
a teaching tool for children by visually
demonstrating how to build a healthy,
balanced meal with the key food groups
and amounts recommended by the
Dietary Guidelines. For example,
although pasta made from lentils has a
standard of identity and may be used in
all Child Nutrition Programs, in order
for the pasta to credit as a vegetable, it
must be served with another vegetable,
such as broccoli or tomato sauce, to help
children recognize the vegetable
component. Likewise, lentil pasta can
credit as a meat alternate if it is served
with another meat/meat alternate, such
as chicken or black beans.
7. What role should such educational
considerations play in determining the
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creditability of a food in the Child
Nutrition Programs?
8. Are there other factors FNS should
consider in determining how foods
credit in the Child Nutrition Programs?
Why or why not?
9. Are there additional ways FNS can
make the crediting process more simple,
fair, or transparent? Please be as specific
as possible.
Foods From the Meat/Meat Alternate
Component
Shelf-stable, Dried or Semi-dried
Meat, Poultry, and Seafood Snacks, and
Surimi: Currently, shelf stable, dried
and semi-dried meat, poultry, and
seafood products, such as beef jerky or
summer sausage, (collectively referred
to as dried meat/poultry/seafood snacks)
currently do not credit towards the
Child Nutrition Programs’ meal
patterns. These foods have a Federal
standard of identity that varies widely,
there is a wide variety of industry
standards for production, and they are
typically seen as snack-type foods.
However, FNS understands these
products may be appealing to some
Child Nutrition Program operators
because dried meat/poultry/seafood
snacks are shelf stable, work well with
alternative meal delivery methods, such
as breakfast in the classroom and
lunches for field trips, and provide more
choices to menu planners and children.
Similarly, surimi, which is whitefish
that is processed to resemble more
expensive seafood and labeled as
‘‘imitation,’’ such as imitation crab, does
not credit towards the Child Nutrition
Programs’ meal patterns. Surimi lacks
an FDA standard of identity and there
is a wide variety of industry standards
for production. Additionally, foods
labeled as ‘‘imitation’’ may have
significantly different nutrition profiles
than the foods they are meant to replace.
To assist reviewers in adequately
compiling public feedback, please
provide separate comments on dried
meat/poultry/seafood snacks, and
imitation crab.
10. Are Child Nutrition Program
operators currently offering any of these
foods as an extra item that does not
contribute to the Child Nutrition
Programs’ meal patterns? If so, which
ones?
10a. If yes, how are they being served
(e.g., as an extra component at snack)
and how often?
11. Should FNS allow any of these
foods to contribute to the Child
Nutrition Programs’ meal patterns? Why
or why not?
12. If any of these foods are allowed
to contribute to the Child Nutrition
Programs’ meal patterns, how should
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they be credited? Be as specific as
possible, such as the volume or weight
needed, or a specific nutrient content.
12a. Is there an ingredient or
processing method that would qualify or
disqualify these products?
13. If any of these foods are allowed
to contribute to the Child Nutrition
Programs’ meal patterns, would Child
Nutrition Program operators incorporate
these foods into menus to meet the
meats/meat alternates requirement?
Why or why not?
13a. If yes, how would they be served
(e.g., at snack, as part of a reimbursable
lunch)?
14. If any of these foods are allowed
to contribute to the Child Nutrition
Programs’ meal patterns, how would
this impact the Child Nutrition
Programs, including its participants and
operators? What are the potential
benefits and negative impacts?
Yogurt: Yogurt may be used to meet
all or part of the meats/meat alternates
component. It may be plain or flavored,
unsweetened or sweetened, traditional
(non-strained or non-thickened) or
Greek or Greek-style (high protein,
strained or thickened). Four ounces
(weight) or 1⁄2 cup (volume) of
traditional or high protein yogurt is
credited as one ounce equivalent of
meat alternate. This crediting was based
on public comment (62 FR 10187, April
1997) and acknowledges the relatively
low levels of iron and niacin in yogurt
compared to other foods from the meats/
meat alternates component. Since then,
high protein yogurt has increased in
popularity and availability. As such,
FNS was asked to consider whether it
would be beneficial to allow a lesser
volume of high protein yogurt to credit
toward the meat/meat alternate
component compared to traditional
yogurt. The rationale for this request
was that high protein yogurt contains a
higher level of protein per ounce versus
traditional yogurt. Currently, crediting
has not been based on an individual
food’s nutrient profile, or any one
nutrient. That is, the contribution of a
food towards the meat/meat alternate
requirement is not based solely on the
grams of protein. For example, different
varieties of meat (e.g., lean beef versus
turkey) are not evaluated separately
based on their protein content.
15. Are Child Nutrition Program
operators currently offering high protein
yogurt as part of a reimbursable meal?
16. Should FNS create a separate
crediting standard for high protein
yogurt that is different than the
crediting standard for traditional yogurt
for the Child Nutrition Programs? Why
or why not?
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17. If high protein yogurt is allowed
to contribute differently to the Child
Nutrition Programs’ meal patterns than
traditional yogurt, how should high
protein yogurt be credited? Be as
specific as possible, such as the volume
or weight needed.
17a. Is there an ingredient or
processing method that could qualify or
disqualify a particular yogurt from
crediting in the Child Nutrition
Programs (e.g., a particular thickening
agent could disqualify a high protein
yogurt)?
18. If high protein yogurt is allowed
to contribute differently to the Child
Nutrition Programs’ meal patterns than
traditional yogurt, would Child
Nutrition Program operators take
advantage of using it to meet the meats/
meat alternates requirement? Why or
why not?
18a. If yes, how would Child
Nutrition Program operators serve it
(e.g., at snack, as part of a reimbursable
lunch)?
19. If high protein yogurt is allowed
to contribute differently to the Child
Nutrition Programs’ meal patterns than
traditional yogurt, how would this
impact the Child Nutrition Programs,
including its participants and operators,
as well as food manufacturers? What are
the potential benefits and negative
impacts?
Other Foods Not Currently Creditable
In the past, FNS has chosen not to
credit a small number of other foods in
the Child Nutrition Programs because
these foods do not meet the requirement
for any food component in the Child
Nutrition Programs’ meal patterns. For
various reasons this has occurred,
including being considered snack-type
foods, lacking a standard of identity, or
because the volume of food required to
meet the minimum serving size would
be unreasonably large. For example,
foods such as popcorn, vegetable chips
(does not include chips made from grain
such as tortilla chips), bacon, and
tempeh are currently not creditable for
the aforementioned reasons. A list of
various foods that do not currently
credit in the Child Nutrition Programs is
available in FNS’ Food Buying Guide for
Child Nutrition Programs under ‘‘Other
Foods’’ (see https://fns.usda.gov/sites/
default/files/tn/fbg-section5-other.pdf).
Comments on any foods currently not
creditable in the Child Nutrition
Programs are welcome, using the
following questions as a guide.
20. Are Child Nutrition Program
operators currently offering any of these
foods as an extra item that does not
contribute to the Child Nutrition
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Programs’ meal patterns? If so, which
ones?
21. Should FNS allow any of these
foods to contribute to the Child
Nutrition Programs’ meal patterns? Why
or why not? If so, which ones?
22. If any of these foods are allowed
to contribute to the Child Nutrition
Programs’ meal patterns, how should
they be credited? Be as specific as
possible, such as the volume or weight
needed, or a specific nutrient content.
22a. Is there an ingredient, processing
method, or nutrient standard (e.g.,
sodium content) that should qualify or
disqualify any of these foods?
23. If any of these foods are allowed
to contribute to the Child Nutrition
Programs’ meal patterns, would Child
Nutrition Program operators incorporate
them into menus to meet the Child
Nutrition Programs’ meal patterns? Why
or why not?
23a. If yes, how would they be served
(e.g., as part of a reimbursable snack)?
24. If any of these foods are allowed
to contribute to the Child Nutrition
Programs’ meal patterns, how would
this impact the Child Nutrition
Programs, including its participants and
operators, as well as food
manufacturers? What are the potential
benefits and negative impacts?
25. Are there additional products not
mentioned in this request for
information that are currently not
creditable, but you would wish to
provide comments on? Please be as
specific as possible.
FNS appreciates your thoughtful and
responsive comments. FNS welcomes
comments from all interested
stakeholders and will consider all of
them carefully. Your comments are
essential to enabling FNS to provide
first rate customer service to those we
serve.
Dated: February 13, 2018.
Brandon Lipps,
Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service.
[FR Doc. 2018–03376 Filed 2–16–18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–30–P
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COMMISSION ON CIVIL RIGHTS
Notice of Public Meeting of the
Alabama Advisory Committee for a
Meeting To Hear Public Testimony
Regarding Civil Rights and Voter
Accessibility in the State
AGENCY:
U.S. Commission on Civil
Rights.
ACTION:
Announcement of meeting.
Notice is hereby given,
pursuant to the provisions of the rules
SUMMARY:
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and regulations of the U.S. Commission
on Civil Rights (Commission) and the
Federal Advisory Committee Act that
the Alabama Advisory Committee
(Committee) will hold a meeting on
Thursday, February 22, 2018, from 9:00
a.m. to 5:00 p.m. CST, for the purpose
of hearing public testimony regarding
civil rights and voter access in the state.
DATES: The meeting will be held on
Thursday, February 22, 2018, from 9:00
a.m. to 5:00 p.m. CST.
ADDRESSES: Connecting Life Center (Old
Bellingham Center), 70 W Edmont
Avenue, Montgomery, AL 36105.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
David Barreras, DFO, at dbarreras@
usccr.gov or 312–353–8311.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This
meeting is free and open to the public.
Persons with disabilities requiring
reasonable accommodations should
contact the Midwest Regional Office
prior to the meeting to make appropriate
arrangements. Members of the public
are invited to make statements during
an open comment period. In addition,
members of the public may submit
written comments; the comments must
be received in the regional office no
later than March 31, 2017. Written
comments may be mailed to the
Midwestern Regional Office, U.S.
Commission on Civil Rights, 55 W.
Monroe St., Suite 410, Chicago, IL
60615. They may also be faxed to the
Commission at (312) 353–8324, or
emailed to David Barreras at dbarreras@
usccr.gov. Persons who desire
additional information may contact the
Midwestern Regional Office at (312)
353–8311.
Records generated from this meeting
may be inspected and reproduced at the
Midwestern Regional Office, as they
become available, both before and after
the meeting. Records of the meeting will
be available via www.facadatabase.gov
under the Commission on Civil Rights,
Alabama Advisory Committee link
(https://www.facadatabase.gov/
committee/committee.aspx?cid=
233&aid=17) Select ‘‘meeting details’’
and then ‘‘documents’’ to download.
Persons interested in the work of this
Committee are directed to the
Commission’s website, https://
www.usccr.gov, or may contact the
Midwestern Regional Office at the above
email or street address.
Agenda
Opening Remarks and Introductions
(9:00 a.m.–9:05 a.m.)
Panel 1: Alabama Secretary of State John
Merrill (9:05 a.m.–9:30 a.m.)
Panel 2: U.S. Representative Terri
Sewell (9:35 a.m.–10:15 a.m.)
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Break (10:15 a.m.–10:30 a.m.)
Panel 3: Voter Access
Panel 4: Community Organizations
Open Comment Period: (4:00–5:00 p.m.)
Closing Remarks (5:00 p.m.)
Dated: February 13, 2018.
David Mussatt,
Supervisory Chief, Regional Programs Unit.
[FR Doc. 2018–03282 Filed 2–16–18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Office of the Secretary
Estimates of the Voting Age
Population for 2017
Office of the Secretary,
Commerce.
ACTION: General notice announcing
population estimates.
AGENCY:
This notice announces the
voting age population estimates as of
July 1, 2017 for each state and the
District of Columbia. We are providing
this notice in accordance with the 1976
amendment to the Federal Election
Campaign Act.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Karen Battle, Chief, Population
Division, U.S. Census Bureau, Room
HQ–6H174, 4600 Silver Hill Road,
Washington, DC 20233. Phone: 301–
763–2071.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the
requirements of the 1976 amendment to
the Federal Election Campaign Act,
Title 52, United States Code, Section
30116(e), I hereby give notice that the
estimates of the voting age population
for July 1, 2017 for each state and the
District of Columbia are as shown in the
following table.
SUMMARY:
ESTIMATES OF THE VOTING AGE POPULATION FOR EACH STATE AND THE
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA: JULY 1,
2017
Area
United States ........................
Alabama ................................
Alaska ...................................
Arizona ..................................
Arkansas ...............................
California ...............................
Colorado ...............................
Connecticut ...........................
Delaware ...............................
District of Columbia ..............
Florida ...................................
Georgia .................................
Hawaii ...................................
Idaho .....................................
Illinois ....................................
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20FEN1
Population 18
and over
252,063,800
3,779,274
554,867
5,382,780
2,298,739
30,476,517
4,345,321
2,844,358
757,455
569,480
16,782,417
7,914,681
1,121,794
1,273,151
9,904,838
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 34 (Tuesday, February 20, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7139-7142]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-03376]
[[Page 7139]]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food and Nutrition Service
[FNS-2017-0044]
Food Crediting in Child Nutrition Programs: Request for
Information; Extension of Comment Period
AGENCY: Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), USDA.
ACTION: Notice; Extension of Comment Period.
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SUMMARY: The National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program,
Child and Adult Care Food Program, and Summer Food Service Program
(Child Nutrition Programs), which are administered by the United States
Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food and Nutrition Service (FNS),
play a critical role in ensuring that America's children have access to
the nutritious food they need to learn and succeed in the classroom,
afterschool, and during the summer. It is FNS' responsibility to
establish and support the meal patterns and nutrition standards
(collectively referred to as meal patterns) in the Child Nutrition
Programs that advance the goals of providing nutritious and satisfying
meals to a broad population of children. At the same time, FNS works to
simplify the menu planning process for Program operators to promote the
efficient use of Program funds and provide a wide variety of food
choices to menu planners and children.
In order to claim Federal reimbursement, Child Nutrition Program
operators must serve meals and snacks that meet the minimum meal
pattern requirements of the respective Program. Crediting is the
process designed by FNS to specify how individual food items contribute
to the Child Nutrition Programs' meal patterns. Several factors impact
how food products can credit toward reimbursable meals, such as volume,
weight, and overall nutrient profile.
The purpose of this Request for Information is to help FNS gather
feedback from a wide variety of stakeholders on how FNS' crediting
system can best address today's evolving food and nutrition
environment, as well as to offer first-rate customer service to those
operating and benefitting from the Child Nutrition Programs. FNS
welcomes comments from all interested stakeholders. While FNS is
interested in your general comments about the crediting process, FNS
also invites comments on the crediting of several specific food
products. FNS is especially interested in understanding both the
possible benefits and any negative impacts associated with potential
changes to how certain foods may or may not credit.
FNS is extending the comment period to provide additional time for
interested parties to review this Request for Information.
DATES: The comment period for the Request for Information that was
published on December 14, 2017 (82 FR 58792) has been extended from
February 12, 2018 to April 23, 2018. To be assured of consideration,
comments must be received on or before April 23, 2018.
ADDRESSES:
Preferred method: Submit information through the Federal
eRulemaking Portal at https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online
instructions for submissions.
Mail: Submissions should be addressed to School Programs Branch,
Policy and Program Development Division, Food and Nutrition Service,
3101 Park Center Drive, 12th floor, Alexandria, Virginia 22302.
All comments submitted in response to this notice will be included
in the record and will be made available to the public at https://www.regulations.gov. Please be advised that the substance of the
comments and the identity of the individuals or entities commenting
will be subject to public disclosure.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tina Namian, Branch Chief, Policy and
Program Development, Child Nutrition Programs, Food and Nutrition
Service at (703) 305-2590.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
Child Nutrition Programs' Nutrition Standards
One of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food and
Nutrition Service's (FNS) highest priorities is to ensure that
participants in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), School
Breakfast Program (SBP), Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), and
Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) (collectively referred to as the
Child Nutrition Programs) receive wholesome, nutritious, and tasty
meals. The Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (NSLA) and the
Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (CNA) authorize FNS to establish meal
patterns and nutrition standards (collectively referred to as meal
patterns) for the Child Nutrition Programs. The NSLA requires FNS to
develop meal patterns that are consistent with the recommendations of
the most recent Dietary Guidelines for Americans (Dietary Guidelines)
and current nutrition research.
The Child Nutrition Programs' meal patterns establish the foods and
minimum serving sizes that must be served for a meal or snack to be
reimbursable. The meal patterns are currently based on food groups
(components), not individual nutrients. A reimbursable meal or snack
includes a certain amount (or combination) of vegetables, fruits, fluid
milk, grains, and meats or meat alternates (e.g., protein foods, such
as chicken, and dairy foods, such as yogurt). Each Child Nutrition
Program has individualized meal patterns for the various age and grade
groups that participate in the Program. The meal patterns were created
to enable children to be self-sufficient by providing the adequate and
consistent levels of foods and nutrients children need to learn and
grow, as well as help children build healthy habits that can last a
lifetime.
Crediting Methodology
Crediting is the process established by FNS to determine how
individual foods contribute to the Child Nutrition Programs' meal
patterns. A food is considered creditable when it meets the minimum
standards that count toward a reimbursable meal or snack. Generally,
this means foods are grouped into categories of similar foods which are
credited in a similar way.
The main focus of FNS' crediting system is to provide simple
information that allows Child Nutrition Program operators to (1) easily
plan menus with foods and quantities that meet the meal patterns, and
(2) offer foods in a way that encourages healthy habits and teaches
children how to build balanced meals. Crediting information is conveyed
through resources such as FNS' Food Buying Guide for Child Nutrition
Programs and other technical assistance materials.
A number of factors impact how foods credit toward a reimbursable
meal. It is critical that crediting decisions be made on the fullest
range of factors possible to ensure transparency and consistency in the
crediting process. The overall nutrient profile of a food is a primary
consideration. Foods in each food component are based on a range of
nutrients instead of an individual food's nutrient profile. For
example, foods in the meats/meat alternates component are grouped based
on a collection of nutrients that include protein, B vitamins,
selenium, choline, phosphorus, zinc, and copper. Therefore, different
varieties of meat (e.g., lean beef versus turkey) are not currently
evaluated separately based on their protein content. The volume or
weight of the food is also an important
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factor in making crediting determinations. All meats/meat alternates
and grains are credited in ounces equivalencies. Fruits, vegetables,
and fluid milk are credited based on volume served.
In addition, foods that credit toward a reimbursable meal in the
Child Nutrition Programs sometimes have a Federal standard of identity.
Standards of identity are established by the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) and the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service
(FSIS). They are mandatory requirements that determine what a food must
contain to be marketed under a certain name. For example, for a product
to be labeled peanut butter, it must meet the standard of identity
requirements that specify the amount and type of ingredients that may
be included. Standards of identity assist FNS in crediting because they
provide a common standard under which specific foods are made. This
allows FNS to set crediting policy with confidence that products from
all manufacturers will have the same characteristics and, thus, make a
consistent contribution to the meal patterns. There are some products
on the commercial market that do not have an FDA or FSIS standard of
identity, but have industry-defined standards. FNS first considers
Federal standards of identity when making crediting decisions. When a
Federal standard of identity does not exist, then FNS may use industry
standards for production to better understand the manufacturing
process.
FNS also considers the customary use of a product. For example,
some foods are typically consumed as a snack food and have not been
considered appropriate for including as part of a meal in the Child
Nutrition Programs. Therefore, they are currently not creditable. This
is discussed more in section II. Questions and Answers. Finally, FNS
considers the role of the Child Nutrition Program in teaching children
healthy eating habits when making crediting decisions.
Purpose and Scope
FNS' objective in issuing this Request for Information is to
receive input from a broad spectrum of stakeholders to assist FNS in
making informed decisions on how FNS' crediting system can best address
today's evolving food and nutrition environment, ensure children have
access to the nutrition they need, and offer excellent customer service
to those operating and benefitting from the Child Nutrition Programs.
It is important that FNS' crediting system balances the nutritional
needs of the Child Nutrition Programs' participants, as recommended by
the Dietary Guidelines, and the need to offer flexibility and a wide
range of choices. FNS recognizes that new or reformulated food products
are regularly entering the food market. These new or reformulated food
products can offer more choices to menu planners and children.
FNS is especially interested in understanding both the possible
benefits and any negative impacts associated with potential changes to
how certain foods may or may not credit. As such, FNS is seeking
feedback from all interested stakeholders on the questions listed
below. Some questions address specific foods due to a high volume of
interest in those products. However, FNS is open to feedback about the
creditability of other food products as well (see Questions 20-25) and
crediting process in general. Additionally, while all comments are
welcome, FNS is particularly interested in comments that are consistent
with the current statutory framework for the Child Nutrition Programs.
II. Questions
Factors To Determine Crediting
FNS currently considers the following factors when making crediting
decisions:
Volume or weight of the food. All meats/meat alternates
and grains are credited in ounces. Fruits, vegetables, and fluid milk
are credited based on volume served. However, dried fruit credits at
twice the volume served and raw, leafy greens credit as half the volume
served. Additionally, tomato puree and tomato paste credit as if they
were reconstituted, instead of as volume served.
1. Is it appropriate to continue to credit foods based on the
volume or weight served, with the few exceptions discussed above? Why
or why not?
2. What are the benefits and negative impacts of having different
crediting values for different forms of vegetables and fruits?
Overall nutrient profile. Foods in each component are
based on a range of nutrients instead of an individual food's nutrient
profile. For example, foods in the meats/meat alternates component are
grouped based on a collection of nutrients that include protein, B
vitamins, selenium, choline, phosphorus, zinc, copper, and vitamins D
and E. Generally, FNS has not considered fortification in the
creditability of foods.
3. Should fortification play a role in determining if and how a
food is credited in the Child Nutrition Programs? Why or why not?
4. Is the presence of certain nutrients more important than other
nutrients when determining if and how a food credits in the Child
Nutrition Programs? Why or why not?
Federal standards of identity and industry standards of
production. Many creditable food products in the Child Nutrition
Programs have Federal standards of identity or industry standards for
production. Standards of identity assist FNS in crediting because they
ensure food products with the same name have the same characteristics
and, therefore, make a consistent contribution to the meal patterns.
5. If a food product does not have a Federal standard of identity
or industry standards for production, how could these food products
credit in the Child Nutrition Programs? Please be as specific as
possible.
Customary use of the food product. Some foods are
generally consumed as snacks and, therefore, have not been considered
appropriate for service in the Child Nutrition Programs. In other
cases, the volume of food required to meet the minimum serving size
would be unreasonably large. In other cases, such products do credit.
For example, tortillas and tortilla products, such as taco shells, may
credit as a grain item in the Child Nutrition Programs because in
certain cultures they are served as the grain component of a meal.
(Please see below for more information about snack-type foods.)
6. Is it appropriate to continue to consider the customary use of a
product when determining how a food credits in the Child Nutrition
Programs? Why or why not?
The role of the Child Nutrition Program in teaching
children healthy eating habits. Meals and snacks served in the Child
Nutrition Programs act as a teaching tool for children by visually
demonstrating how to build a healthy, balanced meal with the key food
groups and amounts recommended by the Dietary Guidelines. For example,
although pasta made from lentils has a standard of identity and may be
used in all Child Nutrition Programs, in order for the pasta to credit
as a vegetable, it must be served with another vegetable, such as
broccoli or tomato sauce, to help children recognize the vegetable
component. Likewise, lentil pasta can credit as a meat alternate if it
is served with another meat/meat alternate, such as chicken or black
beans.
7. What role should such educational considerations play in
determining the
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creditability of a food in the Child Nutrition Programs?
8. Are there other factors FNS should consider in determining how
foods credit in the Child Nutrition Programs? Why or why not?
9. Are there additional ways FNS can make the crediting process
more simple, fair, or transparent? Please be as specific as possible.
Foods From the Meat/Meat Alternate Component
Shelf-stable, Dried or Semi-dried Meat, Poultry, and Seafood
Snacks, and Surimi: Currently, shelf stable, dried and semi-dried meat,
poultry, and seafood products, such as beef jerky or summer sausage,
(collectively referred to as dried meat/poultry/seafood snacks)
currently do not credit towards the Child Nutrition Programs' meal
patterns. These foods have a Federal standard of identity that varies
widely, there is a wide variety of industry standards for production,
and they are typically seen as snack-type foods. However, FNS
understands these products may be appealing to some Child Nutrition
Program operators because dried meat/poultry/seafood snacks are shelf
stable, work well with alternative meal delivery methods, such as
breakfast in the classroom and lunches for field trips, and provide
more choices to menu planners and children. Similarly, surimi, which is
whitefish that is processed to resemble more expensive seafood and
labeled as ``imitation,'' such as imitation crab, does not credit
towards the Child Nutrition Programs' meal patterns. Surimi lacks an
FDA standard of identity and there is a wide variety of industry
standards for production. Additionally, foods labeled as ``imitation''
may have significantly different nutrition profiles than the foods they
are meant to replace. To assist reviewers in adequately compiling
public feedback, please provide separate comments on dried meat/
poultry/seafood snacks, and imitation crab.
10. Are Child Nutrition Program operators currently offering any of
these foods as an extra item that does not contribute to the Child
Nutrition Programs' meal patterns? If so, which ones?
10a. If yes, how are they being served (e.g., as an extra component
at snack) and how often?
11. Should FNS allow any of these foods to contribute to the Child
Nutrition Programs' meal patterns? Why or why not?
12. If any of these foods are allowed to contribute to the Child
Nutrition Programs' meal patterns, how should they be credited? Be as
specific as possible, such as the volume or weight needed, or a
specific nutrient content.
12a. Is there an ingredient or processing method that would qualify
or disqualify these products?
13. If any of these foods are allowed to contribute to the Child
Nutrition Programs' meal patterns, would Child Nutrition Program
operators incorporate these foods into menus to meet the meats/meat
alternates requirement? Why or why not?
13a. If yes, how would they be served (e.g., at snack, as part of a
reimbursable lunch)?
14. If any of these foods are allowed to contribute to the Child
Nutrition Programs' meal patterns, how would this impact the Child
Nutrition Programs, including its participants and operators? What are
the potential benefits and negative impacts?
Yogurt: Yogurt may be used to meet all or part of the meats/meat
alternates component. It may be plain or flavored, unsweetened or
sweetened, traditional (non-strained or non-thickened) or Greek or
Greek-style (high protein, strained or thickened). Four ounces (weight)
or \1/2\ cup (volume) of traditional or high protein yogurt is credited
as one ounce equivalent of meat alternate. This crediting was based on
public comment (62 FR 10187, April 1997) and acknowledges the
relatively low levels of iron and niacin in yogurt compared to other
foods from the meats/meat alternates component. Since then, high
protein yogurt has increased in popularity and availability. As such,
FNS was asked to consider whether it would be beneficial to allow a
lesser volume of high protein yogurt to credit toward the meat/meat
alternate component compared to traditional yogurt. The rationale for
this request was that high protein yogurt contains a higher level of
protein per ounce versus traditional yogurt. Currently, crediting has
not been based on an individual food's nutrient profile, or any one
nutrient. That is, the contribution of a food towards the meat/meat
alternate requirement is not based solely on the grams of protein. For
example, different varieties of meat (e.g., lean beef versus turkey)
are not evaluated separately based on their protein content.
15. Are Child Nutrition Program operators currently offering high
protein yogurt as part of a reimbursable meal?
16. Should FNS create a separate crediting standard for high
protein yogurt that is different than the crediting standard for
traditional yogurt for the Child Nutrition Programs? Why or why not?
17. If high protein yogurt is allowed to contribute differently to
the Child Nutrition Programs' meal patterns than traditional yogurt,
how should high protein yogurt be credited? Be as specific as possible,
such as the volume or weight needed.
17a. Is there an ingredient or processing method that could qualify
or disqualify a particular yogurt from crediting in the Child Nutrition
Programs (e.g., a particular thickening agent could disqualify a high
protein yogurt)?
18. If high protein yogurt is allowed to contribute differently to
the Child Nutrition Programs' meal patterns than traditional yogurt,
would Child Nutrition Program operators take advantage of using it to
meet the meats/meat alternates requirement? Why or why not?
18a. If yes, how would Child Nutrition Program operators serve it
(e.g., at snack, as part of a reimbursable lunch)?
19. If high protein yogurt is allowed to contribute differently to
the Child Nutrition Programs' meal patterns than traditional yogurt,
how would this impact the Child Nutrition Programs, including its
participants and operators, as well as food manufacturers? What are the
potential benefits and negative impacts?
Other Foods Not Currently Creditable
In the past, FNS has chosen not to credit a small number of other
foods in the Child Nutrition Programs because these foods do not meet
the requirement for any food component in the Child Nutrition Programs'
meal patterns. For various reasons this has occurred, including being
considered snack-type foods, lacking a standard of identity, or because
the volume of food required to meet the minimum serving size would be
unreasonably large. For example, foods such as popcorn, vegetable chips
(does not include chips made from grain such as tortilla chips), bacon,
and tempeh are currently not creditable for the aforementioned reasons.
A list of various foods that do not currently credit in the Child
Nutrition Programs is available in FNS' Food Buying Guide for Child
Nutrition Programs under ``Other Foods'' (see https://fns.usda.gov/sites/default/files/tn/fbg-section5-other.pdf). Comments on any foods
currently not creditable in the Child Nutrition Programs are welcome,
using the following questions as a guide.
20. Are Child Nutrition Program operators currently offering any of
these foods as an extra item that does not contribute to the Child
Nutrition
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Programs' meal patterns? If so, which ones?
21. Should FNS allow any of these foods to contribute to the Child
Nutrition Programs' meal patterns? Why or why not? If so, which ones?
22. If any of these foods are allowed to contribute to the Child
Nutrition Programs' meal patterns, how should they be credited? Be as
specific as possible, such as the volume or weight needed, or a
specific nutrient content.
22a. Is there an ingredient, processing method, or nutrient
standard (e.g., sodium content) that should qualify or disqualify any
of these foods?
23. If any of these foods are allowed to contribute to the Child
Nutrition Programs' meal patterns, would Child Nutrition Program
operators incorporate them into menus to meet the Child Nutrition
Programs' meal patterns? Why or why not?
23a. If yes, how would they be served (e.g., as part of a
reimbursable snack)?
24. If any of these foods are allowed to contribute to the Child
Nutrition Programs' meal patterns, how would this impact the Child
Nutrition Programs, including its participants and operators, as well
as food manufacturers? What are the potential benefits and negative
impacts?
25. Are there additional products not mentioned in this request for
information that are currently not creditable, but you would wish to
provide comments on? Please be as specific as possible.
FNS appreciates your thoughtful and responsive comments. FNS
welcomes comments from all interested stakeholders and will consider
all of them carefully. Your comments are essential to enabling FNS to
provide first rate customer service to those we serve.
Dated: February 13, 2018.
Brandon Lipps,
Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service.
[FR Doc. 2018-03376 Filed 2-16-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-30-P
