[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 132 (Thursday, July 10, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41110-41111]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-17470]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food Safety and Inspection Service

[Docket No. 03-024N]


Codex Alimentarius Commission: Meeting of the Codex Committee on 
Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses

AGENCY: Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of public meeting and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Office of the Under Secretary for Food Safety, U.S. 
Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Food and Drug Administration 
(FDA), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) are 
sponsoring a public meeting on September 16, 2003. The objective of the 
public meeting is to provide information and receive public comments on 
agenda items and draft United States positions that will be discussed 
at the 25th Session of the Codex Committee on Nutrition and Foods for 
Special Dietary Uses (CCNFSDU) to be held in Bonn, Germany, November 3-
7, 2003.
    The Under Secretary for Food Safety and FDA recognize the 
importance of providing interested parties the opportunity to obtain 
background information on the 25th Session of CCNFSDU and to address 
items on the agenda.

DATES: The public meeting is schelduled for Tuesday, September 16, 2003 
from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The public meeting will be held in the Auditorium (1A003), 
Food and Drug Administration, Harvey Wiley Federal Building, 5100 Paint 
Branch Parkway, College Park, MD. To receive copies of the Codex 
documents pertaining to the agenda items for the 25th CCNFSDU session, 
contact the FSIS Docket Clerk, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food 
Safety and Inspection Service, Room 102, Cotton Annex, 300 12th Street, 
SW., Washington, DC 20250-3700. The documents will also be accessible 
via the World Wide Web at the following address: http://www.codexalimentarius.net. If you would like to submit comments on one 
or more agenda items, please send them, in triplicate, to the FSIS 
Docket Clerk and reference Docket 03-024N. The U.S. Delegate 
to the CCNFSDU, Dr. Elizabeth Yetley of the Food and Drug 
Administration, also invites U.S. (United States) interested parties to 
submit their comments electronically to the following e-mail address 
([email protected]). All comments submitted in response to this 
notice will be available for public inspection in the Docket Clerk's 
Office between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
    Pre-Registration: To gain admittance to this meeting, individuals 
must present a photo ID for identification and also are required to 
pre-register. In addition, no cameras or videotaping equipment will be 
permitted in the meeting room. To pre-register, please send the 
following information to this e-mail address ([email protected]) by 
September 1, 2003:

--Your Name
--Organization
--Mailing Address
--Phone number
--E-mail address

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ellen Matten, Staff Officer, U.S. 
Codex Office, FSIS, Room 4861, South Agriculture Building, 1400 
Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20250, Telephone (202) 205-
7760; Fax: (202) 720-3157. Persons requiring a sign language 
interpreter or other special accommodations should notify Ms. Matten at 
the above number.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    Codex was established in 1962 by two United Nations organizations, 
the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Health 
Organization (WHO). Codex is the major international organization for 
encouraging fair international trade in food and protecting the health 
and economic interests of consumers. Through adoption of food 
standards, codes of practice, and other guidelines developed by its 
committees, and by promoting their adoption and implementation by 
governments, Codex seeks to ensure that the world's food supply is 
sound, wholesome, free from adulteration, and correctly labeled.
    The Codex Committee on Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses 
was established to study specific nutritional problems assigned to it 
by the Commission and advise the Commission on general nutritional 
issues; to draft general provisions as appropriate, concerning the 
nutritional aspects of all foods; to develop standards, guidelines or 
related texts for foods for special dietary uses, in cooperation with 
other committees when necessary; and to consider, amend if necessary, 
and endorse provisions on nutritional aspects proposed for inclusion in 
Codex standards, guidelines and related texts. The committee is hosted 
by the Federal Republic of Germany.

Issues To Be Discussed at the Public Meeting

    At a minimum, the following items will be on the Agenda for the 
25th Session of the Committee:
    1. Guidelines for Use of Nutrition Claims: Draft Table of 
Conditions for Nutrient Contents: (Part B, containing provisions on 
Dietary Fiber).
    2. Draft Revised Standard for Gluten-Free Foods.
    3. Proposed Draft Guidelines for Vitamin and Mineral Supplements.
    4. Proposed Draft Revised Standard for Processed Cereal-Based Foods 
for Infants and Young Children.
    5. Proposed Draft Revised Standard for Infant Formula.
    6. Proposed Draft Revision of the Advisory List(s) of Mineral Salts 
and Vitamin Compounds for the Use in Foods for Infants and Young 
Children (CAC/GL 10-1979).
    7. Proposed Draft Recommendations of the Scientific Basis of Health 
Claims.
    8. Discussion Paper on Energy Conversion Factors.
    9. Discussion Paper on the application of risk analysis to the work 
of CCNFSDU.

    Note: The provisional agenda for the 25th CCNFSDDU session will 
be posted on the World Wide Web in advance of the meeting at the 
following address: http://www.codexalimentarius.net.

Public Meeting

    At the September 16th public meeting, the issues and draft United 
States positions on the issues will be described, discussed, and 
attendees will have the opportunity to pose questions and offer 
comments. Comments may be sent to the FSIS Docket Room (Docket 
03-024N) (see ADDRESSES). In addition, they may be sent 
electronically to the U.S. Delegate (see ADDRESSES), Please state that 
your comments relate to CCNFSDU activities and specify which issues 
your comments address.

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,

[[Page 41111]]

and persons with disabilities are aware of this notice; FSIS will 
announce it and make copies of this Federal Register publication 
available through the FSIS Constituent Update. FSIS provides a weekly 
Constituent Update, which is communicated via Listserv, a free e-mail 
subscription service. 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 Listserv 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 the Listserv and web page, FSIS is able to provide 
information to a much broader, more diverse audience.
    For more information contact the Congressional and Public Affairs 
Office, at (202) 720-9113. To be added to the free e-mail subscription 
service (Listserv) go to the ``Constituent Update'' page on the FSIS 
Web site at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/oa/update/update.htm. Click on the 
``Subscribe to the Constituent Update Listserv'' link, then fill out 
and submit the form.

    Done at Washington, DC on: July 7, 2003.
F. Edward Scarbrough,
U.S. Manager for Codex Alimentarius.
[FR Doc. 03-17470 Filed 7-9-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-DM-M