Food Safety and Inspection Service June 2005 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is amending the Federal meat and poultry products inspection regulations to establish a general definition and standard of identity for standardized meat and poultry products that have been modified to qualify for use of an expressed nutrient content claim in their product names. These products will be identified by an expressed nutrient content claim, such as ``fat free,'' ``low fat,'' and ``light,'' in conjunction with an appropriate standardized term, e.g., ``low fat bologna.'' FSIS is taking this action to: Assist consumers in maintaining healthy dietary practices by providing for modified versions of standardized meat and poultry products that have reductions of certain constituents that are of health concern to some consumers, such as fat, cholesterol, and sodium; increase regulatory flexibility and support product innovation, and provide consumers with an informative nutrition labeling system.

The Food Safety and Inspection Service is announcing the availability of two question and answer (Q&A) documents concerning FSIS Directives 5000.2 (``Review of Establishment Data by Inspection Program Personnel''), 6420.2 (``Verification of Procedures for controlling Fecal Material, Ingesta, and Milk in Slaughter Operations''), and 10,010.1, Revision 1 (``Microbiological Testing Program and Other Verification Activities for Escherichia coli O157:H7 in Raw Ground Beef Products and Raw Ground Beef Components and Beef Patty Components'') (see ADDRESSES). The Agency is announcing the availability of these documents now because they contain information about Escherichia coli (E. coli) O157:H7, which is particularly relevant at this time because the United States is in the seasonal period when the prevalence of E. coli O157:H7 may be higher than during other times of the year.