April 3, 2006

US may amend weighing standards for meat, poultry

The US federal government's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is submitting a proposal to amend weighing standards for meat and poultry products.

The amendments would bring changes to the agency's weighing standards and variations permitted for packaged products so that it complies with standards set by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).

The NIST is a federal agency that develops standards for measurement methods. The NIST Handbook 133 is a procedural guide for compliance testing of net content statements on packaged goods.

These new standards would override state standards, resulting in a more synchronised system. The NIST handbook contains standards for determining the reasonable variations allowed for the declared net weight on labels of containers of meat and poultry products.

The conditions to determine the net weight and net weight compliance of meat and poultry products would also be amended under the proposals. The agency would be consolidating the separate net weight regulations for meat and poultry into one.

Under current regulations, labels must apply the NIST standards for variations allowed from the declared net weight.

FSIS believes the proposed rule would not have a significant economic impact.

A copy of the federal docket describing the proposals is available here.