[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 180 (Friday, September 15, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Page 55936]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-23771]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food Safety and Inspection Service

[Docket No. 00-020N]


National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for 
Foods; Renewal

AGENCY: Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of Re-chartering of Committee.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the re-chartering of the National 
Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods (NACMCF). The 
Committee is being renewed in cooperation with the Department of Health 
and Human Services (HHS). The establishment of the Committee was 
recommended by a 1985 report of the National Academy of Sciences 
Committee on Food Protection, Subcommittee on Microbiological Criteria, 
``An Evaluation of the Role of Microbiological Criteria for Foods.'' 
The current charter for the NACMCF is available for viewing on the FSIS 
homepage at www.fsis.usda.gov under mission and activities.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Carol Maczka, Executive 
Secretariat, USDA, Food Safety and Inspection Service, 3rd Floor--Room 
355 Aerospace Center, 901 D Street, SW., Washington, DC 20024. 
Background materials are available for inspection by contacting Dr. 
Maczka at (202) 690-6540.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is charged with 
the enforcement of the Federal Meat Inspection Act (FMIA), the Poultry 
Products Inspection Act (PPIA), and the Egg Products Inspection Act 
(EPIA). Under these Acts, USDA is responsible for the wholesomeness and 
safety of meat, poultry, and egg products intended for human 
consumption. Similarly, the Secretary of HHS is charged with the 
enforcement of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA). Under 
this Act, HHS is responsible for ensuring the wholesomeness and safety 
of human foods other than meat, poultry, and egg products, and of 
animal feeds.
    In order to continue to meet the responsibilities of the FMIA, 
PPIA, EPIA, and FFDCA, the NACMCF is being reestablished. The Committee 
will be charged with advising and providing recommendations to the 
Secretaries on the development of microbiological criteria by which the 
safety and wholesomeness of food can be assessed, including criteria 
for microorganisms that indicate whether foods have been adequately and 
appropriately processed.
    Reestablishment of this Committee is necessary and in the public 
interest because the development of a sound public policy in this area 
can best be accomplished by a free and open exchange of information and 
ideas among Federal, State, and local agencies, and other interested 
parties. The complexity of the issues to be addressed requires that 
more than one meeting per year will be necessary to accomplish the 
Committee's tasks.
    Members will be appointed by the Secretary of USDA after 
consultation with the Secretary of HHS. Because of their interest in 
the matters to be addressed by this Committee, advice on membership 
appointments will be requested from the Department of Commerce's 
National Marine Fisheries Service and the Department of Defense's 
Veterinary Service Activity.

Additional Public Notification

    Public awareness of all segments of rulemaking and policy 
development is important. Consequently, in an effort to better ensure 
that minorities, women, and persons with disabilities are aware of this 
notice, FSIS will announce it and provide copies of this Federal 
Register publication in the FSIS Constituent Update. FSIS provides a 
weekly FSIS Constituent Update, which is communicated via fax to over 
300 organizations and individuals. In addition, the update is available 
on-line through the FSIS web page located at http://www.fsis.usda.gov. 
The update is used to provide information regarding FSIS policies, 
procedures, regulations, Federal Register notices, FSIS public 
meetings, recalls, and any other types of information that could affect 
or would be of interest to our constituents/stakeholders. The 
constituent fax list consists of industry, trade, and farm groups, 
consumer interest groups, allied health professionals, scientific 
professionals, and other individuals that have requested to be 
included. Through these various channels, FSIS is able to provide 
information to a much broader, more diverse audience. For more 
information and to be added to the constituent fax list, fax your 
request to the Congressional and Public Affairs Office, at (202) 720-
5704.

    Done in Washington, DC on: September 11, 2000.
Paul W. Fiddick,
Assistant Secretary for Administration.
[FR Doc. 00-23771 Filed 9-14-00; 8:45 am]
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