[Federal Register: October 29, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 209)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 61639-61640]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr29oc03-15]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Food and Drug Administration
21 CFR Part 131
[Docket No. 2000P-0685]
Milk and Cream Products and Yogurt Products; Petition to Revoke
Standards for Lowfat Yogurt and Nonfat Yogurt and to Amend Standards
for Yogurt and Cultured Milk; Reopening of the Comment Period
AGENCY: Food and Drug Administration, HHS.
ACTION: Advance notice of proposed rulemaking; reopening of the comment
period.
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SUMMARY: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is reopening for 90
days the comment period for an advance notice of proposed rulemaking
(ANPRM) that announced the filing of a petition asking the agency to
revoke the standards of identity for lowfat yogurt and nonfat yogurt;
amend the standard of identity for yogurt in numerous respects,
including incorporation of provisions for lowfat and nonfat yogurt; and
amend the standard of identity for cultured milk in numerous respects,
including allowing for the use of the alternate term ``fermented
milk.'' This action is being taken in response to a request for more
time to submit comments to FDA.
DATES: Submit written or electronic comments on the ANPRM by January
27, 2004.
ADDRESSES: Submit written comments to the Division of Dockets
Management
[[Page 61640]]
(HFA-305), Food and Drug Administration, 5630 Fishers Lane, rm. 1061,
Rockville, MD 20852. Submit electronic comments to http://www.fda.gov/dockets/ecomments.
The ANPRM and the petition are available for review
at the Division of Dockets Management or electronically on FDA's Web
site at http://www.fda.gov/ohrms/dockets/98fr/03-16789.pdf (ANPRM) and
http://www.fda.gov/ohrms/dockets/98fr/00p-0685-cp00001.pdf (petition).
You also may request a copy of these documents from the Division of
Dockets Management.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ritu Nalubola, Office of Nutritional
Products, Labeling, and Dietary Supplements, Center for Food Safety and
Applied Nutrition (HFS-820), Food and Drug Administration, 5100 Paint
Branch Pkwy., College Park, MD 20740, 301-436-2371.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
In the Federal Register of July 3, 2003 (68 FR 39873), FDA
published an ANPRM announcing that a petition was filed on February 18,
2000, requesting that the agency revoke the standards of identity for
lowfat yogurt and nonfat yogurt; amend the standard of identity for
yogurt in numerous respects, including incorporation of provisions for
lowfat and nonfat yogurt; and amend the standard of identity for
cultured milk in numerous respects, including allowing for the use of
the alternate term ``fermented milk.'' Interested persons were given
until October 1, 2003, to comment on the ANPRM.
Following publication of the July 3, 2003, ANPRM, FDA received a
request to allow interested persons additional time to comment. The
requester asserted that the time period of 90 days was insufficient to
respond fully to FDA's specific requests for comments and to allow
potential respondents to thoroughly evaluate and address pertinent
issues, including those that have emerged since the petition was filed
in 2000.
FDA believes that it is sound public policy to reopen the comment
period (21 CFR 10.40(b)(3)(i)), given the variety of scientific and
other issues raised in the ANPRM.
II. Comments
Interested persons may submit to the Division of Dockets Management
(see ADDRESSES) written or electronic comments regarding the ANPRM.
Submit a single copy of electronic comments or two paper copies of any
mailed comments, except that individuals may submit one paper copy.
Comments are to be identified with the docket number found in brackets
in the heading of this document. Comments previously submitted to the
Division of Dockets Management do not need to be resubmitted because
all comments submitted with that docket number will be considered in
any future rulemaking. Received comments may be seen in the Division of
Dockets Management between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Dated: October 21, 2003.
Jeffrey Shuren,
Assistant Commissioner for Policy.
[FR Doc. 03-27188 Filed 10-28-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-01-S