[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 57 (Friday, March 24, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15533-15534]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-7334]



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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food Safety and Inspection Service
[Docket No. 95-010N]


Pathogen Reduction; Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point 
(HACCP) Systems; Notice of Scientific/Technical Conference and Request 
for Papers

AGENCY: Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) will hold a 
scientific/technical conference, ``Role of Microbiological Testing in 
Verifying Food Safety,'' on May 1-2, 1995, at the Holiday Inn 
Independence Mall, 4th and Arch Streets, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 
The purpose of the conference is to explore scientific issues related 
to microbiological testing for verifying the safety of meat and 
poultry.

ADDRESSES: Papers should be to sent to: Dr. Robert L. Buchanan, Deputy 
Administrator, Science and Technology, FSIS, USDA, Room 402 Cotton 
Annex, 14th and Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20250.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For technical information, contact Dr. 
Jennifer Johnson, Microbiologist, Microbiology Division, Science and 
Technology, FSIS, USDA, Building 322, Barc-East, Beltsville, MD 20705. 
(301) 504-8792. To register to attend the conference, call Ms. Mary 
Gioglio (202) 501-7244.

    For hotel reservations, call the Holiday Inn Independence Mall at 
(215) 923-8660.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On February 3, 1995, FSIS published a 
proposed rule ``Pathogen Reduction; Hazard Analysis and Critical 
Control Point (HACCP) Systems'' (60 FR 6774). In that document, the 
Agency proposed a number of regulatory changes applicable to Federal- 
and State-inspected meat and poultry establishments. The proposed 
changes were designed to reduce the occurrence and numbers of 
pathogenic microorganisms in meat and poultry products, thereby 
reducing the incidence of foodborne illness associated with the 
consumption of these products.
    In the proposed rule, FSIS stated that public meetings would be 
held with the regulated industry and all interested parties to foster 
the development of beneficial new food safety technologies. FSIS is 
interested in improving food safety through the use of microbiological 
testing.
    FSIS is aware that any biological characteristic is subject to 
natural variation. An understanding of the factors influencing 
variability, particularly relating to collecting samples, must be an 
integral part of microbiological analyses. FSIS is seeking information 
on different microbiological testing verification protocols that may 
assure safer meat and poultry products and, therefore, is hosting a 
scientific/technical conference.
    The conference, ``Role of Microbiological Testing in Verifying Food 
Safety'' will be held on May 1-2, 1995, at the Holiday Inn Independence 
Mall, 4th and Arch Streets, Philadelphia, PA 19106 (215) 923-8660. The 
conference will begin each day at 8:30 a.m. and end at 4:30 p.m. on May 
1; at 2:00 p.m. on May 2.

Conference Agenda

    The conference will consist of three sessions as follows:
    Session I: Invited speakers from government agencies, industry, and 
academia will discuss the use and limitations of microbiological 
testing for assuring food safety.
    Session II: Presentation of papers on the role of microbiological 
testing in assuring food safety (see Submission of Papers).
    Session III: The general public attending the conference, on a 
first-come basis, will have up to five minutes per person to comment on 
the conference proceedings.
    Dr. Robert L. Buchanan, Deputy Administrator, Science and 
Technology, FSIS will moderate and be joined by a panel consisting of: 
Dr. Ann Marie McNamara, Director, Microbiology Division, Science and 
Technology, FSIS; Dr. E. M. Foster, University of Wisconsin; Dr. Bruce 
Tompkin, Armour Swift Echrich; Dr. Myron Solberg, Rutgers University; 
Dr. Katherine Swanson, Pillsbury Company; and Dr. Margarite Neill, 
Brown University. The panel will summarize the presentations and 
prepare a report of the proceedings. This report will include general 
[[Page 15534]] conclusions on the development of microbiological 
testing for verifying the safety of meat and poultry products. The 
panel's report, transcripts of the conference, and copies of all the 
papers submitted to FSIS will be available in the FSIS Docket Clerk's 
Office, Room 3171, South Agriculture Building, Food Safety and 
Inspection Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC 
20250.

Submission of Papers

    Interested persons may submit a paper to FSIS for Session II. 
Papers should present information about microbiological testing for 
assuring food safety with emphasis on the concepts and methods outlined 
in the proposed rule ``Pathogen Reduction; Hazard Analysis and Critical 
Control Point (HACCP).'' Up to 12 papers will be selected for 
presentation during Session II. Presenters will be allotted 10 to 15 
minutes. All papers will be included in the proceedings of the 
conference regardless of whether they were selected for presentation.
    The papers must be received by April 14, 1995, to be considered for 
the conference. Two copies of each paper should be submitted (See 
ADDRESSES), with hard copies of any slides to be used in the 
presentation.

Attendance and Hotel Reservations

    Please call Ms. Mary Gioglio by April 5, 1995, (see FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT) if you plan to attend the conference. FSIS has 
reserved a block of rooms at the hotel for $85 per night. Reservations 
may be made by contacting the hotel (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION 
CONTACT).

    Done at Washington, DC, on: March 20, 1995.
Michael R. Taylor
Acting Under Secretary for Food Safety.
[FR Doc. 95-7334 Filed 3-23-95; 8:45 am]
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