Potassium Hydroxide as a Hog Scald Agent

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is amending the Federal meat inspection regulations to permit the use of potassium hydroxide in hog scald and hair removal processes. Hog scald and hair removal agents are used by meat processors to dehair hog carcasses. This regulation makes available to meat processors an additional, alternative hog scald formulation containing potassium hydroxide as an ingredient. Hog scald agents formulated with potassium hydroxide are as effective as other existing hog scald agents; however, because potassium hydroxide is quickly solubilized when added to water, its presence in a hog scald agent makes the agent easier to mix. Therefore, the potassium hydroxide-containing hog scald agent formula can be prepared and applied to hog carcasses more quickly than other similar hog scald agents. We expect no adverse public reaction resulting from this change in regulatory language. Therefore, unless adverse or critical comments are received within 30 days, the action will become final 60 days after publication in the Federal Register. If critical comments are received, the final rulemaking notice will be withdrawn and a proposed rulemaking notice will be published. The proposed rulemaking notice will establish a comment period.