[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 129 (Tuesday, July 7, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36654-36655]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-17837]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food Safety and Inspection Service
[Docket No. 98-031N]


Technologies for the Detection and Reduction of Pathogens To 
Improve Food Safety

AGENCY: Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice; Request for Technical Papers and Presenters

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SUMMARY: The Food Safety and Inspection Service will hold a conference 
on ``Technology to Improve Food Safety'' on July 28, 1998, in 
Washington, DC. The purpose of the conference is to focus on emerging 
technologies that aid in the detection of pathogens and on pathogen 
interventions that help to ensure food safety within the farm-to-table 
continuum. The emphasis will be on both existing and emerging 
technologies to detect pathogens, including those which are close to 
practical application within the farm-to-table continuum.

DATES: The conference will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on July 
28, 1998. Abstracts of scientific papers must be received no later than 
COB July 8, 1998; the final papers no later than COB July 20, 1998. The 
Conference will be held in two sessions: Technologies for Reducing 
Pathogens and Technologies for Detecting Pathogens. Please specify for 
which session the paper is intended. Two copies of the abstracts and 
final papers should be sent to Ms. Mary Harris at the address below.


[[Page 36655]]


ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held in the Federal Hall Ballroom of the 
Washington Plaza Hotel, 10 Thomas Circle, NW, Washington, DC 20005. To 
register for the meeting, contact Ms. Harris at (202) 501-7315, FAX to 
(202) 501-7615, or E-mail to [email protected]. If a sign language 
interpreter or other special accommodation is necessary, please contact 
Ms. Harris by July 14, 1998. Ms. Harris' address is FSIS, Franklin 
Court Building, Room 6904, 1099 14th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20250-
3700. All technical papers, comments, and data about the meeting will 
be available for public viewing after August 15, 1998, in the FSIS 
Docket Room, Room 102, Cotton Annex Building, 300 12th Street, SW, 
Washington, DC 20250-3700.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. William J. Hudnall, Assistant 
Deputy Administrator, Office of Policy, Program Development, and 
Evaluation at (202) 205-0495 or FAX to (202) 401-1760.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    On April 12 and 13, 1995, FSIS convened a scientific and technical 
conference in Chicago as part of a series of outreach activities 
associated with the Pathogen Reduction/Hazard Analysis and Critical 
Control Point (HACCP) proposed rule. The purpose of the conference was 
to solicit public comment about what actions FSIS should take to 
encourage innovative technologies that could contribute to overall 
efforts to improve food safety. The upcoming July 28 conference is 
intended to be a follow-up to the 1995 conference. FSIS continues to 
believe that the development and proper use of technology can 
contribute significantly to ensuring the safety of the food supply, and 
the Agency will continue to foster such development and use. The 
upcoming conference will explore current food technology and should 
stimulate the development of beneficial innovations to ensure food 
safety, particularly with regard to the reduction of pathogens.
    Since the 1995 conference, many meat and poultry plants have 
implemented 3 interventions, such as steam pasteurization and carcass 
rinses, that are effective in reducing pathogens on meat and poultry. 
New developments also have been made in irradiation technology. The 
conference will provide an opportunity to disseminate information that 
can lead to the timely introduction of these and other beneficial 
emerging technologies into more establishments.

1998 Conference Agenda

    The conference will consist of two sessions:

Session I: ``Technologies for Reducing Pathogens''

    This session will cover emerging technologies for reducing 
pathogens throughout the farm-to-table continuum. FSIS has stressed the 
importance of a farm-to-table approach to food safety. Although FSIS 
does not have authority to impose controls at the farm level, it 
continues to believe that public concerns about pathogens and foodborne 
illness will stimulate action at this level to help improve food 
safety. In slaughter and processing plants, the Agency continues to be 
interested in advances that will enhance the safety of meat and poultry 
products. In addition, FSIS is working with the Food and Drug 
Administration and State and local food regulatory officials to ensure 
that food safety issues are adequately addressed in transport, retail, 
storage, and food service settings. The Agency remains firmly committed 
to its farm-to-table strategy.

Session II: ``Technologies for Detecting Pathogens''

    This session will address both existing and emerging technologies 
to detect pathogens, including those which are close to practical 
application within the farm-to-table continuum.
    At each session, invited speakers from FSIS, other government 
agencies, industry, consumer groups, and academia will give 
presentations. In addition, FSIS is soliciting the submission of 
technical papers on emerging technology and will invite selected 
submitters to give 5-minute presentations summarizing their papers. If 
the same subject is covered in more than one paper, FSIS will have the 
authors combine their presentations for a single 5-minute presentation 
or select the author of the first paper submitted on the subject. FSIS 
will moderate each session and will be joined by a panel consisting of 
representatives from government agencies, industry, academia, and 
consumer groups. This panel will have an opportunity to question the 
presenters and to discuss the technology. Each session will conclude 
with an open discussion period to allow participants to briefly state 
their views and ask questions.
    Speakers or other interested persons who will require exhibition 
space or special equipment to enhance their presentations should 
specify their needs by contacting Ms. Mary Harris at the address above. 
This request should be included with the paper. Based on the number of 
requests for space received by July 8, 1998, FSIS will determine 
whether it will be able to make exhibition space available.

    Done in Washington, DC, on June 26, 1998.
Thomas J. Billy,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 98-17837 Filed 7-6-98; 8:45 am]
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