G/SPS/N/USA/2556/Add.3  
 
19 May 2015  
(15-2611)  Page: 1/2  
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English  
 
  NOTIFICATION 
Addendum 
The following communication, received on 19 May 2015,  is being circulated at the request of the 
Delegation of the United States of America. 
 
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 Descriptive Designation for Needle- or Blade-Tend erized (Mechanically Tenderized) Beef Products 
The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is amending the Federal meat inspection 
regulations to require the use of the descriptive  designation "mechanically tenderized", "blade 
tenderized", or "needle tenderized" on the labels of raw or partially cooked needle- or blade-tenderized beef products, including beef products injected with a marinade or solution, unless the 
products are to be fully cooked or to receive another full lethality treatment at an official 
establishment. Under these final regulations, the pr oduct names of the affected products will have 
to include the descriptive designation "mechanicall y tenderized", "blade tenderized", or "needle 
tenderized" and an accurate description of the beef component. The print for all words in the 
descriptive designation and the product name will have to be in a single easy-to-read type style and colour and must appear on a single-colour contrasting background. The print may appear in upper and lower case letters, with the lower case letters not smaller than one-third (\1/3\) the size 
of the largest letter. In addition, the labels of raw and partially cooked needle- or blade-tenderized 
beef products destined for household consumers, hotels, restaurants, or similar institutions will have to bear validated cooking instructions. The instructions will have to specify the minimum 
internal temperatures and any hold or "dwell" times for the products to ensure that they are fully 
cooked. FSIS is amending the regulations beca use of scientific evidence that mechanically 
tenderized beef products need to be fully cooked in  order to reduce the risk of pathogenic bacteria 
that may be transferred to the interior of the meat during mechanical tenderization. FSIS is also 
announcing the availability of updated guidance for the use of federally inspected establishments in developing validated cooking instructions for mechanically tenderized product. The effective date is 17 May 2016.  
The text may be found at http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR- 2015-05-18/html/2015-11916.htm . 
This addendum concerns a: 
[ ] Modification of final date for comments 
[X] Notification of adoption, publication or entry into force of regulation 
[ ] Modification of content and/or scope of  previously notified draft regulation 
[ ] Withdrawal of proposed regulation 
[ ] Change in proposed date of adoption, publication or date of entry into force 
[ ] Other:   
Comment period: (If the addendum extends the scope of the previously notified 
measure in terms of products and/or potent ially affected Members, a new deadline for 
receipt of comments should be provided, norm ally of at least 60 calendar days. Under 
other circumstances, such as extension of or iginally announced final date for comments, 
the comment period provided in the addendum may vary.)  
[ ] Sixty days from the date of circulation of the addendum to the notification and/or 
(dd/mm/yy) : Not applicable G/SPS/N/USA/2556/Add.3 
 
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  Agency or authority designated to handle co mments: [ ] National Notification Authority, 
[ ] National Enquiry Point. Address, fax nu mber and e-mail address (if available) of 
other body: 
Daniel L. Engeljohn, Ph.D., Assistant Administra tor, Office of Policy and Program Development, 
Food Safety and Inspection Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue 
SW., Washington, DC 0250-3700; Tel: +(1 202) 205 0495; Fax: +(1 202) 720 2025  
Text(s) available from: [X] National Notificati on Authority, [ ] National Enquiry Point. 
Address, fax number and e-mail addre ss (if available) of other body: 
United States SPS National Notification Auth ority, USDA Foreign Agricultural Service,  
International Regulations and Standards Division (IRSD), Stop 1014, Washington D.C. 20250; Tel: 
+(1 202) 720 1301; Fax: +(1 202) 720 0433; E-mail: us.spsenquirypoint@fas.usda.gov  
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