
[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 100 (Tuesday, May 24, 2011)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 30051-30052]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-12736]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Food and Drug Administration

21 CFR Parts 11 and 101

[Docket No. FDA-2011-F-0172]
RIN 0910-AG57


Food Labeling; Nutrition Labeling of Standard Menu Items in 
Restaurants and Similar Retail Food Establishments; Extension of 
Comment Period

AGENCY: Food and Drug Administration, HHS.

ACTION: Proposed rule; extension of comment period.

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SUMMARY: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is extending the 
comment period until July 5, 2011, for a proposed rule that was 
published in the Federal Register of April 6, 2011 (76 FR 19192). In 
that document, FDA proposed requirements for providing nutrition 
information for standard menu items in certain chain restaurants and 
similar retail food establishments. The Agency is extending the comment 
period in response to several requests to give interested parties 
additional time to comment.

DATES: Submit either electronic or written comments by July 5, 2011.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by Docket No. FDA-2011-
F-0172 and/or RIN 0910-AG57, by any of the following methods:

Electronic Submissions

    Submit electronic comments in the following way:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the instructions for submitting comments.

Written Submissions

    Submit written submissions in the following ways:
     FAX: 301-827-6870.
     Mail/Hand delivery/Courier (for paper, disk, or CD-ROM 
submissions): Division of Dockets Management (HFA-305), Food and Drug 
Administration, 5630 Fishers Lane, rm. 1061, Rockville, MD 20852.
    Instructions: All submissions received must include the Agency 
name, Docket No. FDA-2011-F-0172, and RIN 0910-AG57 for this 
rulemaking. All comments received may be posted without change to 
http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information 
provided. For additional information on submitting comments, see the 
``Comments'' heading of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this 
document.
    Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or 
comments received, go to http://www.regulations.gov and insert the 
docket number, found in brackets in the heading of this document, into 
the ``Search'' box and follow the prompts and/or go to the Division of 
Dockets Management, 5630 Fishers Lane, rm. 1061, Rockville, MD 20852.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Geraldine A. June, Center for Food 
Safety and Applied Nutrition (HFS-820), Food and Drug Administration, 
5100 Paint Branch Pkwy., College Park, MD 20740, 240-402-2371.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    In the Federal Register of April 6, 2011 (76 FR 19192), FDA 
proposed requirements to implement the menu labeling provisions of the 
Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (Affordable Care 
Act). Specifically, FDA proposed to require that restaurants and 
similar retail food establishments that are a part of a chain with 20 
or more locations doing business under the same name, and offering for 
sale the same menu items, provide calorie and other nutrition 
information for standard menu items, including food on display and 
self-service food. FDA provided a 60-day comment period (i.e., until 
June 6, 2011) for that proposal.
    FDA has received several requests to extend the comment period. The 
requests stated that additional time is needed to comment on the 
proposed rule for a number of reasons, including a need for time to 
assess the effect of the proposal on the industry; a desire to conduct 
consumer research to support comments on the proposal; and the 
complexities of the proposed rule.
    FDA has considered the requests and is extending the comment period 
an additional 30 days, until July 5, 2011. We believe that this 
additional time will provide interested parties sufficient time to 
respond to the proposal.

II. Comments

    Interested persons may submit to the Division of Dockets Management 
(see ADDRESSES) either electronic or written comments regarding this 
document. It is only necessary to send one set of comments. It is no 
longer necessary to send two copies of mailed comments. Identify 
comments with the docket number found in brackets in the heading of 
this document. Received comments may be seen in the Division of Dockets 
Management between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.


[[Page 30052]]


    Dated: May 19, 2011.
Leslie Kux,
Acting Assistant Commissioner for Policy.
[FR Doc. 2011-12736 Filed 5-23-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-01-P


