Alternate Foods for Meals: Enriched Macaroni Products With Fortified Protein; National School Lunch Program

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This final rule requires the use of the Protein Digestibility- Corrected Amino Acid Score (PDCAAS) instead of the Protein Efficiency Ratio (PER) for evaluating the biological quality of proteins in enriched macaroni products with fortified protein. This action is necessary for consistency with the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Nutrition Labeling Education Act regulations. The PDCAAS is a more accurate, efficient and less costly method for measuring protein quality of this food product used in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP). This rule also makes clear that enriched macaroni products may not be used for infants under one year of age. In addition, this rule deletes reference in the NSLP regulations to the FDA Standard of Identity (21 CFR 139.117) for enriched macaroni products with fortified protein which has been stayed by FDA and clarifies that protein quality is to be determined on the dry basis not on the cooked food. This rule also makes a typographical correction and in accordance with the Metric Conversion Act of 1975 adds the metric equivalent for all weights and measurements. This final rule further clarifies that manufacturers of enriched macaroni with forti