[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 198 (Friday, October 13, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60468-60469]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-17036]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food Safety and Inspection Service

[Docket No. FSIS-2006-0031]


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: In accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, this 
notice is announcing 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 NACMCF homepage 
at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OPHS/NACMCF/index.htm.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Karen Thomas, Advisory Committee 
Specialist, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food Safety and 
Inspection Service (FSIS), Room 333 Aerospace Center, 1400 Independence 
Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20250-3700. Telephone number: (202) 690-
6620.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    USDA is charged with administration and the enforcement of the 
Federal Meat Inspection Act (FMIA), the Poultry Products Inspection Act 
(PPIA), and the Egg Products Inspection Act (EPIA). The Secretary of 
HHS is charged with the administration and enforcement of the Federal 
Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA). These Acts help protect consumers 
by assuring that food products are wholesome, not adulterated, and 
properly marked, labeled, and packaged.
    In order to assist the Secretaries in carrying out their 
responsibilities under the FMIA, PPIA, EPIA, and FFDCA, the NACMCF is 
being re-chartered. 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,

[[Page 60469]]

including criteria for microorganisms that indicate whether foods have 
been adequately and appropriately processed.
    Re-chartering of this Committee is necessary and in the public 
interest because of the need for external expert advice on the range of 
scientific and technical issues that must be addressed by the Federal 
sponsors in meeting their statutory responsibilities. The complexity of 
the issues to be addressed requires that the Committee meet at least 
twice per year.
    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, the Department of Defense's 
Veterinary Service Activity, and the Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention. Background materials are available on the web at the 
address noted above or by contacting the person listed above.

Additional Public Notification

    Public awareness of all segments of rulemaking and policy 
development is important. Consequently, in an effort to ensure that 
minorities, women, and persons with disabilities are aware of this 
notice, FSIS will announce it on-line through the FSIS Web Page located 
at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/regulations/2006_Notices_Index/. FSIS 
will also make copies of this Federal Register publication available 
through the FSIS Constituent Update, which is used to provide 
information regarding FSIS policies, procedures, regulations, Federal 
Register notices, FSIS public meetings, recalls and other types of 
information that could affect or would be of interest to constituents 
and stakeholders. The update is communicated via Listserv, a free 
electronic mail subscription service for industry, trade and farm 
groups, consumer interest groups, allied health professionals, and 
other individuals who have asked to be included. The update is 
available on the FSIS web page. Through the Listserv and web page, FSIS 
is able to provide information to a much broader and more diverse 
audience.
    In addition, FSIS offers an e-mail subscription service which 
provides automatic and customized access to selected food safety news 
and information. This service is available at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/news_and_events/email_subscription/. Options range from recalls to 
export information to regulations, directives and notices.
    Customers can add or delete subscriptions themselves and have the 
option to password protect their account.

    Done at Washington, DC, on October 10, 2006.
Barbara J. Masters,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. E6-17036 Filed 10-12-06; 8:45 am]
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