[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 78 (Friday, April 22, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22667-22668]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-9856]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food Safety and Inspection Service

[Docket No. FSIS-2010-0026]


Availability of Salmonella Compliance Guide for Small and Very 
Small Meat and Poultry Establishments That Produce Ready-to-Eat 
Products

AGENCY: Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of availability and opportunity for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is announcing 
the availability of a compliance guide for small and very small meat 
establishments on the safe production of ready-to-eat (RTE) meat and 
poultry products with respect to Salmonella and other pathogens. FSIS 
has posted this compliance guide on its Significant Guidance Documents 
Web page (http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Significant_Guidance/index.asp). 
FSIS encourages small and very small meat establishments that 
manufacture these products to avail themselves of this guidance 
document. FSIS is also soliciting comments on this compliance guide. 
The Agency will consider carefully all comments submitted and will 
revise the guide as warranted.

[[Page 22668]]


DATES: Submit written comments by June 21, 2011.

ADDRESSES: FSIS invites interested persons to submit comments on this 
notice and the compliance guidelines. Comments may be submitted by 
either of the following methods:
    Federal eRulemaking Portal: This Web site provides the ability to 
type short comments directly into the comment field on this Web page or 
attach a file for lengthier comments. Go to http://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the online instructions at that site for submitting comments.
    Mail, including floppy disks or CD-ROMs, and hand- or courier-
delivered items: Send to Docket Clerk, U.S. Department of Agriculture 
(USDA), FSIS, Room 2-2127, George Washington Carver Center, 5601 
Sunnyside Avenue, Mailstop 5272, Beltsville MD 20705-5272.
    Instructions: All items submitted by mail or electronic mail must 
include the Agency name and docket number FSIS-2010-0026. Comments 
received in response to this docket will be made available for public 
inspection and posted without change, including any personal 
information, to http://www.regulations.gov.
    Docket: For access to background documents or to comments received, 
go to the FSIS Docket Room at the address listed above between 8:30 
a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kristina Barlow, USDA, FSIS, 
telephone: (202) 690-7739, e-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    This document provides small and very small meat and poultry 
establishments \1\ that manufacture RTE meat and poultry products 
information on regulatory requirements associated with safe production 
of these products with respect to Salmonella and other pathogens. This 
document also provides information about processing and safe handling 
of RTE products after the lethality step, so they are not contaminated 
with pathogens such as Salmonella or Listeria monocytogenes (Lm). 
Though Agency guidance documents are recommendations rather than 
regulatory requirements and are revised as new information becomes 
available, FSIS encourages meat and poultry establishments to follow 
this guidance.
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    \1\ According to the Pathogen Reduction; Hazard Analysis and 
Critical Control Point Systems final rule, a very small 
establishment is one that has fewer than 10 employees or less than 
$2.5 million in annual sales; a small establishment is one that has 
10 or more but fewer than 500 employees (61 FR 38819).
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USDA Nondiscrimination Statement

    USDA prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on 
the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, 
disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or 
family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) 
Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for 
communication of program information (Braille, large print, or 
audiotape.) should contact USDA's Target Center at 202-720-2600 (voice 
and TTY).
    To file a written complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Office 
of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, 
SW., Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call 202-720-5964 (voice and TTY). 
USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

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 online through the FSIS Web page located 
at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/regulations_&_policies/Federal_Register_Notices/index.asp.
    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, 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 groups, 
consumer interest groups, health professionals, and other individuals 
who have asked to be included. The Update is also 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 electronic 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 accounts.

Alfred V. Almanza,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2011-9856 Filed 4-21-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-DM-P