PART C. REQUEST FOR INFORMATION/COMMENTS ON SPECIFIC MATTERS

Information on the following issues is requested from Member governments for consideration by the Committee at its next Session:

1. Applicable to All Standards Covering Canned Products in Packing Media

(i) Packing media provisions; whether to maintain the current detailed descriptions of packing media or to refer to the Guidelines for Packing Media for Canned Fruits (or Vegetables)(para. 36); and
(ii) Necessity of explicit minimum levels for minimum drained weight (para. 41).

2. Proposed Draft Revised Standard for Canned Applesauce (Appendix II)

(i) Current national practice on the minimum level for total soluble solids in sweetened applesauce (para. 14);
(ii) Technological justification for the use of isoascorbic acid (para. 18)(Information requested from those countries that authorize its use); and
(iii) Technological justification for the use of colours (para. 20) (Information requested from those countries that authorize their uses).

3. Proposed Draft Revised Standard for Canned Pears (Appendix III)

(i) Technological justification for the use of colours for specialty packs (para. 37) (Information requested from those countries that authorize their uses); and
(ii) Level of minimum drained weight for diced style (para. 41).

4. Proposed Draft Standard for Canned Stone Fruits (Appendix IV)

(i) Technological justification for the use of colours for canned red or purple plums (Information requested from those countries that authorize their uses); and
(ii) Technological justification for the use of antioxidant, L-ascorbic acid for canned peaches and canned apricots (Information requested from those countries that authorize it use).

Governments are invited to provide information and/or comments on the above matters. Information and comments should be sent to the Chief, Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme, FAO, Viale delle Terme di Caracalla, 00100 Rome, Italy not later than 30 November 1998.