[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 5 (Tuesday, January 8, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 861-862]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-499]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food Safety Inspection Service

[Docket No. 01-035N]


National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods

AGENCY: Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of public meeting; request for comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria 
for Foods (NACMCF) will meet January 22-25, 2002. This meeting replaces 
the NACMCF meeting originally scheduled for September 17-20, 2001. The 
original meeting was postponed because of the September 11, 2001 
terrorist attacks.
    The meeting is open to the public. The committee will discuss 
Salmonella performance standards in meat and poultry products; 
Escherichia coli O157:H7 in blade-tenderized, non-intact beef; the 
evaluation of hot holding temperatures; Codex ``Discussion Paper on 
Proposed Draft Guidelines for the Validation of Food Hygiene Control 
Measures,'' and the scientific basis for establishing safety-based 
``use by'' date labeling for refrigerated, ready-to-eat foods.
    FSIS will finalize an agenda on or before the meeting date and post 
it to its Internet web page.

DATES: The full Committee will meet on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, 
January 23, 24, and 25, 2002; subcommittee meetings will be held on 
January 22 and 23, 2002.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Omni Shoreham Hotel at 2500 
Calvert St., NW, Washington, DC 20008. Send an original and two copies 
of comments to the Food Safety and Inspection Service Docket Room: 
Docket #01-035N, Room 102 Cotton Annex Building, 300 12th Street, SW., 
Washington, DC 20250. Comments may also be sent by facsimile (202) 205-
0381. The comments and the official transcript of the meeting, when it 
becomes available, will be kept in the FSIS Docket Room at the above 
address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Persons interested in making a 
presentation, submitting technical papers, or providing comments should 
contact Brenda Halbrook (202) 690-6600, Fax (202) 690-6337, e-mail 
address: brenda.halbrook@ dchqexs1.hqnet.usda.gov, or mailing address: 
Food Safety and Inspection Service, Department of Agriculture, Office 
of Public Health and Science, Aerospace Center, Room 333, 1400 
Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-3700. Persons requiring a 
sign language interpreter or other special accommodations should notify 
Ms. Halbrook, by January 7, 2001.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The NACMCF was established on March 18, 1988, in response to a 
recommendation of the National Academy of Sciences for an interagency 
approach to microbiological criteria for food, and in response to a 
recommendation of the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on 
Appropriations, as expressed in the Rural Development, Agriculture, and 
Related Agencies Appropriation Bill for fiscal 1988. The Charter for 
the NACMCF is available for viewing on the FSIS internet Web page at 
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OA/programs/nacmcf_chart.htm.
    The NACMCF provides scientific advice and recommendations to the 
Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of Health and Human Services 
on public health issues relative to the safety and wholesomeness of the 
U.S. food supply including development of microbiological criteria and 
review and evaluation of epidemiological and risk assessment data and 
methodologies for assessing microbiological hazards in foods. The 
Committee also provides advice to the Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention and the Departments of Commerce and Defense. Dr. I. Kaye 
Wachsmuth, Deputy Administrator, Office of Public Health and Science, 
FSIS, is the Committee Chair, Janice F.

[[Page 862]]

Oliver, Deputy Director, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, 
Food and Drug Administration, is the Co-Chair, and Brenda Halbrook, 
FSIS, is the Executive Secretary.
    At the January 22-25, 2002, meeting announced in this document, the 
Committee will
     Discuss Salmonella performance standards in meat and 
poultry products;
     Discuss Escherichia coli O157:H7 in blade-tenderized, non-
intact beef;
     Discuss the evaluation of hot holding temperatures;
     Discuss the Codex ``Discussion Paper on Proposed Draft 
Guidelines for the Validation of Food Hygiene Control Measures,'' and
     Discuss the scientific basis for establishing safety-based 
``use by'' date labeling for refrigerated, ready-to-eat foods.

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 the meeting 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.

Margaret O'K Glavin,
Acting Administrator.
[FR Doc. 02-499 Filed 1-4-02; 11:35 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-DM-P