美国修订加工葡萄干等级分类标准 删除“midget”表述

    食品伙伴网讯   据世贸组织（WTO）消息，8月25日美国发布G/TBT/N/USA/1028通报，美国农业部农产品市场局修订了加工葡萄干等级分类标准，修订内容包括：（1）删除标准当中“极小的（midget）”表述，并删除与之有关的5个参考说明；（2）小葡萄干是指所有葡萄干中会穿过直径为34/64英寸圆形穿孔的葡萄干重量不小于总量的90%，并且所有的葡萄干会穿过直径为22/64英寸的圆形穿孔。（3）混合葡萄干是指该葡萄干产品无法达到任何一种选定的分类等级或不符合小规格产品的要求。现通报征求意见，意见反馈截止2015年10月20日。

    部分原文报道如下：

    On May 13,2013, AMS received a petition from the Little People of America stating that they ''are trying to raise awareness around and eliminate the use of the word midget.'' The petition further stated that, ''Though the use of the word midget by the USDA when classifying certain food products is benign, Little People of America, and the dwarfism community, hopes that the USDA would consider phasing out the term midget.''

    AMS determined that the processed raisin grade standard contained ''small or midget'' terminology for the same requirement. Before developing these proposed revisions, AMS solicited comments and suggestions about the grade standards from the RAC. The RAC represents the entire California raisin industry; no other state produces raisins commercially. On August 14, 2014, the RAC approved the removal of the term midget from the standards.

    AMS is proposing to remove five references to the term ''midget'' in the following sections: 52.1845（b） and （c）， 52.1850（a）（2） and （a）（3）， and Table I.

    The proposed revisions would modernize and help clarify the language of the standard by removing dual terminology for the same requirement.

    The proposed rule provides a 60-day period during which interested parties may comment on the revisions to the standard.

    原文链接：https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2015/TBT/USA/15_3269_00_e.pdf