. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/SPS/N/USA/161
28 May 1999
(99-2151)
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Original:  English
NOTIFICATION
1. Member to Agreement notifying:   UNITED STATES
If applicable, name of local government involved:
2. Agency responsible:   Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service
3. Products covered (provide tariff item number(s) as specified in national schedules
deposited with the WTO;  ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable).
Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable:  Ham
4. Title and number of pages of the notified document: Use of Soy Protein Concentrate,
Modified Food Starch, and Carrageenan as Binders in Certain Meat Products (5 pages).
5. Description of content: The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is amending the
Federal meat inspection regulations to allow the use of soy protein concentrate, both singly
and in combination with modified food starch or carrageenan, as a binder in cured pork
products labelled "Ham with Natural Juices ", "Ham Water Added", and "Ham and Water
Product -- X% of Weight is Added Ingredients", and to increase the permitted use level of
modified food starch as a binder in "Ham and Water Product -- X% of Weight is Added
Ingredients" products. These binders will be used to reduce purging of the pumped brine
solution from the products. FSIS is proceeding with this direct final rule in response to
petitions submitted by Central Soya and the National Starch and Chemical Company andinformal requests from several food manufacturers.
6. Objective and rationale:  [  X ] food safety  [   ] animal health [  ] plant protection
[  ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease  [  ]  protect territory from other
damage from pests
7. An international standa rd, guideline or recommendati on does not exist [ X ].
If an international standard , guideline or recommendation exists, give the appropriate
reference and briefly identify deviations:
8. Relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:  64 FR 27901,
24 May 1999;  9 CFR Parts 318 and 319 (Available in English)
9. Proposed date of adoption:  See paragraph 10
10. Proposed date of entry into force: This rule will be effective 23 July 1999, unless FSIS
receives written adverse comments within the scope of this rulemaking or written notice of
intent to submit adverse comments within th e scope of this rulemaking on or before
23 June 1999.G/SPS/N/USA/161
Page 2
11. Final date for comments:   23 June 1999
Agency or authority designated to handle comme nts:  [  ] National notification authority,
[  ] National enquiry point, or address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of
other body:   Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA
Detailed instruction on where and how to send commen ts is in the body of the full text – which
will be sent upon request to the address in paragraph 12.
12. Texts available from:  [ X ] National notification authority,  [ X ]  National enquiry point,
or address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of other body:
USDA/FAS/FSTD
Attn:  Carolyn F. Wilson
Room 5545 South Agriculture Building
Stop 1027
1400 Independence Avenue, S.W.Washington, D.C. 20250
Tel:  (202) 720 2239
Fax::  (202) 690 0677
E-mail address:  ofsts@fas.usda.gov