./.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/SPS/N/USA/136
30 September 1998
(98-3778)
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 (tariff item number(s) as specified in national schedules deposited
with the WTO.  ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):   Meat
and poultry
4. Title and number of pages of the notified document:   Retained Water in Raw Meat and
Poultry;  Poultry Chilling Performance Standards
5. Description of content:  The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is proposing
regulations to limit the amount of water retained by raw, single-ingredient, meat and poultry
products as a result of post-evisceration processing, such as carcass washing and chilling.
Meat and poultry carcasses and parts would not be permitted to contain water resulting from
post-evisceration processing unless the establishment demonstrates that water retention is
necessary to meet applicable food safety requirements.  In addition, the establishment wouldbe required to disclose on the label the maximum percentage of retained water in the
product.  The proposed labeling statement would provide information to consumers of raw
meat and poultry products that would help them to make purchasing decisions.
Establishments having data demonstrating that there is no retained water in their products
could choose not to label the products with the retained-water statement or to make a
no-retained-water claim on the product label. FSIS is also proposing to revise the poultry
chilling regulations to improve consistency with the Pathogen Reduction/Hazard Analysisand Critical Control Points (PR/HACCP) regulations, eliminate "command-and-control"
features, and reflect current technological capabilities and good manufacturing practices.
6. Objective and rationale: Food safety
7. An international standard, guideline or recommendation does not exist [ X ].
If an international standard, guideline or  recommendation exists, whenever possible,
identify deviations:           
8. Relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:  63 FR 48961,
11 September 1998 (available in English – 20 pages);  9 CFR Parts 381 and 441
9. Proposed date of adoption:  To be determinedG/SPS/N/USA/136
Page 2
10. Proposed date of entry into force:  The effective date will be given upon publication of
the final rule in the Federal Register.
11. Final date for comments:  10 December 1998
Agency or authority designated to handle comments:  Food Safety and Inspection
Service, USDA
12.Texts available from:  National enquiry point [     ] or address, telefax number and
E-mail address (if available) of other body:
United States SPS Enquiry Point
USDA/FAS/FSTSDAttn:  Carolyn F. Wilson
Room 5545 South Agriculture Building
Stop 1027
1400 Independence Avenue, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20250Tel:  (202) 720 22 39
Fax:  (202) 690 06 77
E-mail:  ofsts@fas.usda.gov