. /.  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/N/USA/844/Add.1 
20 September 2005 
 
 (05-4140) 
Committee on Sanitary a nd Phytosanitary Measures Original:   English 
  
 
NOTIFICATION  
 
Addendum
 
 
 The following communication, dated 15 September 2005, is being circulated at the request of 
the Delegation of the United States. 
 
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Prohibition of the Use of Specified Risk Mate rials for Human Food and Requirements for the 
Disposition of Non-Ambulatory Disabled Cattle  
  The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSI S) is amending its interim final rule, 
"Prohibition of the Use of Specified Risk Materials for Human Food and Requirements for the Disposition of Non-Ambulatory Cattle ", published in the Federal Regi ster on 12 January 2004.  The 
amendments permit beef small intestine, excluding the distal ileum, to be used for human food, 
provided that such product is derived from cattle that were slaughtered in an official establishment in 
the United States or in a certified foreign establishm ent from a foreign country that is eligible to 
export beef products to the United States.  Although the distal ileum is the only portion of the small 
intestine in which BSE infectivity has been confir med, the January 2004 interim final rule requires 
that the entire small intestine of all cattle be remove d and disposed of as inedible.  FSIS is taking this 
action based on the Agency's evaluation of this issue and of the comments received on the interim 
final rule, as well as comments received on an adva nce notice of proposed rulemaking published in 
July 2004.  FSIS has concluded that the distal ileum  can be effectively removed from the rest of the 
small intestine.  FSIS has determined that remo val of the distal ileum in accordance with the 
amendments in this document will provide the sa me level of protection from human exposure to the 
BSE agent as does the exclusion of the entire small intestine from the human food supply. 
 
 This interim final rule is effective 7 Oct ober 2005.  Comments on this interim final rule 
must be received by 7 November 2005. 
 
 FSIS invites interested persons to submit co mments on this amended interim final rule.  
Comments may be submitted by any of the following methods: Mail, including floppy disks or CD-ROM's, and ha nd- or courier-delivered items: Send to Docket 
Clerk, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food Safe ty and Inspection Service, 300 12th Street, SW., 
Room 102 Cotton Annex, Washington, DC 20250.  Federal eRulemaking Portal:  Go to 
http://www.regulations.gov
.  Electronic mail:  fsis.regulationscomments@fsis.usda.gov .  Follow the 
online instructions at that site for submitting co mments. All submissions received must include the 
Agency name and docket number 03-025IFA.   All comments submitted in response to this am ended interim final rule, as well as research 
and background information used by FSIS in develo ping this document, will be available for public 
inspection in the FSIS Docket Room at the address listed above between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., G/SPS/N/USA/844/Add.1 
Page 2  
 
Monday through Friday.  The comments also w ill be posted on the Agency's Web site at 
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/regulations_&_polici es/2005_Interim_&_Final_Rules_Index/index.asp
 
 
 For further information contact:  Dr. Daniel  Engeljohn, Deputy Assistant Administrator, 
Office of Policy, Program, and Employee Developm ent, FSIS, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1400 
Independence Avenue, SW., Washington,  DC 20250-3700, (202) 205-0495. 
  The full text of this addendum (final rule) can be found at the address below.  Federal 
Register: 7 September 2005 (Volume 70,  Number 172) [Pages 53043-53050] 
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Frame/FrameRedirect. asp?main=/OPPDE/rdad/FRPubs/03-025IFA.htm
 
 
 Ms. Julie Morin, United States National Notification Authority, USDA Foreign Agricultural Service, Food Safety & Technical Services Divisi on, Stop 1027, Washington, D.C. 20250.  Tel:  202-
720-4051;  Fax:  202-690-0677;  Email:  fstsd@usda.gov
 
 
 
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