[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 111 (Tuesday, June 10, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31611-31612]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-15012]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Food and Drug Administration


Retail Food Program Standards; Notice of Grassroots Meetings

AGENCY: Food and Drug Administration, HHS.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is announcing that it 
is sponsoring six grassroots meetings with the Centers for Disease 
Control and Prevention (CDC) and the United States Department of 
Agriculture (USDA). The topics of the meetings involve identification 
and discussion of factors considered central to the operation of 
effective retail food control programs.


[[Page 31612]]


DATES: See Table 1 in the ``SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION'' section of this 
document.

ADDRESSES: See Table 1 in the ``SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION'' section of 
this document.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  Robert H. Brands, Office of 
Regulatory Affairs, Division of Federal State Relations (HFC-150), Food 
and Drug Administration, 5600 Fishers Lane, rm. 12-07, Rockville, MD 
20857, 301-827-2908 or FAX 301-443-2143.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The U.S. Department of Health and Human 
Services, through FDA and CDC, and USDA, through the Food Safety 
Inspection Service, will convene six 1-day public meetings to discuss 
the development of national program standards for State and local 
retail food protection programs.
    Each meeting will feature a general session at which Federal retail 
food safety goals, including FDA's retail food protection strategic 
goals and the President's Food Safety Initiative, will be presented.
    There will be three concurrent breakout sessions in the morning and 
three concurrent breakout sessions in the afternoon. Participants will 
be asked to discuss and provide input on factors considered central to 
retail food programs.
    The morning breakout sessions will address the following: (1) 
Regulation equivalency--discussions will concern factors considered 
essential to provide adequate systems of control and coverage based on 
the Food Code; (2) trained inspection staff--discussions will concern 
the development of a national model retail food training curriculum; 
and (3) program resources--discussions will concern the determination 
of adequate levels of staffing and significant factors influencing 
successful application of necessary controls.
    The afternoon breakout sessions will address the following: (1) 
Elements of a Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP)-based 
inspection program--discussions will concern application of HACCP 
principles in retail food inspection and followup activities; (2) 
enforcement, compliance/program assessment and recognition--discussions 
will concern the identification of those elements that support a 
successful compliance and enforcement program. The possible benefits of 
program recognition in regard to meeting or exceeding minimum standards 
will also be explored; and (3) foodborne illness response systems--
discussions will concern the program elements necessary to effectively 
identify and investigate consumer complaints of foodborne illness.
    To facilitate meaningful discussions, the meetings will be limited 
to 75 participants. Preregistration for the meeting is required. An 
information packet will be available to the public. All comments will 
be considered and used to develop a summary from each of the regional 
meetings.
    Summaries of the regional meeting will be provided to all 
registered participants. The public may request copies of these 
summaries by submitting a written request to the Freedom of Information 
Office (HFI-35), Food and Drug Administration, 5600 Fishers Lane, rm. 
12A-16, Rockville, MD 20857.

 Specific Information Regarding Each of the Meetings

    FDA, CDC, and USDA desire a wide range of participants including, 
but not limited to local, State, and tribal regulatory officials; 
industry representatives; academicians; and consumers.
    Participants will be limited at each of the meeting sites to 75. 
Preregistration as specified in the following list of sites is required 
because seating is limited. Persons interested in attending should 
telephone their name, organization, address, and telephone number to 
the FDA contact person listed in Table 1.

                                 Table 1                                
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    Meeting Address        Date and Local Time      FDA Contact Person  
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ATLANTA: Wyndham Hotel   June 26, 1997, Thursday  Nan Kelemen, 404-347- 
 Midtown, 125 10th St.    8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.,     3576, ext. 5247      
 NE., Atlanta, GA         register by Monday,                           
                          June 23, 1997                                 
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DALLAS: Wilson World     July 22, 1997, Tuesday   Derrick Fountain, 214-
 Hotel/DFW Airport        8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.,     655-8100, ext. 156   
 South, 4600 Airport      register by Tuesday,                          
 Fwy., Irving, TX         July 15, 1997                                 
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PITTSBURGH: Holiday      August 14, 1997,         Kim Crayton, 215-597- 
 Inn--Greentree, 401      Thursday 8 a.m. to       4390                 
 Holiday Dr.,             5:30 p.m., register by                        
 Pittsburgh, PA           Thursday, August 7,                           
                          1997                                          
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PORTLAND: DoubleTree     August 19, 1997,         Linda Carota, 617-279-
 Hotel, 1230 Congress     Tuesday 8 a.m. to 5:30   1675, ext. 165       
 St., Portland, ME        p.m., register by                             
                          Tuesday, August 12,                           
                          1997                                          
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PORTLAND: Portland       August 21, 1997,         Carolyn Swanson, 206- 
 State Office Bldg.,      Thursday 8 a.m. to       553-7001, ext. 26    
 800 NE. Oregon, rm.      5:30 p.m., register by                        
 120C, Portland, OR       Friday, August 15,                            
                          1997                                          
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CHICAGO: American        August 27, 1997,         John Powell, 312-353- 
 Management               Wednesday 8 a.m. to      9400, ext. 17        
 Association, 8655 West   5:30 p.m., register by                        
 Higgins Rd., rm. 201,    Wednesday, August 20,                         
 Chicago, IL              1997                                          
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    Dated: June 2, 1997.
William K. Hubbard,
Associate Commissioner for Policy Coordination.
[FR Doc. 97-15012 Filed 6-9-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-01-F