[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 212 (Friday, November 1, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65661-65663]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-25976]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Food and Drug Administration

[Docket No. FDA-2013-N-1161]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request; Food Safety Survey

AGENCY: Food and Drug Administration, HHS.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA or we) is announcing an 
opportunity for public comment on our proposed collection of certain 
information. Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (the

[[Page 65662]]

PRA), Federal Agencies must publish a notice in the Federal Register 
concerning each proposed collection of information, including each 
proposed reinstatement of an existing collection of information and 
allow 60 days for public comment. This notice invites comments on a 
voluntary consumer survey entitled, ``Food Safety Survey.''

DATES: Submit either written or electronic comments on the collection 
of information by December 31, 2013.

ADDRESSES: Submit electronic comments on the collection of information 
to http://www.regulations.gov. Submit written comments on the 
collection of information to the Division of Dockets Management (HFA-
305), Food and Drug Administration, 5630 Fishers Lane, Rm. 1061, 
Rockville, MD 20852. All comments should be identified with the docket 
number found in brackets in the heading of this document.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: FDA PRA Staff, Office of Operations, 
Food and Drug Administration, 1350 Piccard Dr., PI50-400B, Rockville, 
MD 20850, [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the PRA (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520), Federal 
agencies must obtain approval from the Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) for each collection of information they conduct or sponsor. 
``Collection of information'' is defined in 44 U.S.C. 3502(3) and 5 CFR 
1320.3(c) and includes Agency requests or requirements that members of 
the public submit reports, keep records, or provide information to a 
third party. Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)) 
requires Federal Agencies to provide a 60-day notice in the Federal 
Register concerning each proposed collection of information, including 
each proposed reinstatement of an existing collection of information, 
before submitting the collection to OMB for approval. To comply with 
this requirement, we are publishing notice of the proposed collection 
of information set forth in this document.
    With respect to the following collection of information, we invite 
comments on these topics: (1) Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of our functions, 
including whether the information will have practical utility; (2) the 
accuracy of our estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of 
information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions 
used; (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and (4) ways to minimize the burden of the 
collection of information on respondents, including through the use of 
automated collection techniques, when appropriate, and other forms of 
information technology.

Food Safety Survey--(OMB Control Number 0910-0345)--Reinstatement

I. Background

    Under section 903(b)(2) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act 
(21 U.S.C. 393(b)(2)), we are authorized to conduct research relating 
to foods and to conduct educational and public information programs 
relating to the safety of the nation's food supply. The Food Safety 
Survey measures consumers' knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs about food 
safety. Previous versions of the survey were collected in 1988, 1993, 
1998, 2001, 2006, and 2010. Data from the previous Food Safety Surveys 
and from this proposed survey will be used to evaluate two Healthy 
People 2020 objectives: (1) Increase the proportion of consumers who 
follow key food safety practices (Objective FS-5), and (2) reduce 
severe allergic reactions to food among adults with a food allergy 
diagnosis (Objective FS-4) (Ref. 1). Data from this survey will also be 
used to measure progress toward the United States Department of 
Agriculture's Food Safety Inspection Service's FY2011-FY2016 Strategic 
Plan goal of ensuring that, ``Consumers, including vulnerable and 
underserved populations, adopt food safety best practices'' (Ref. 2). 
Additionally, Food Safety Survey data are used to measure trends in 
consumer food safety habits including hand and cutting board washing, 
cooking practices, and use of food thermometers. Finally, data are used 
to evaluate educational messages and to inform policymakers about 
consumer attitudes about technologies such as food irradiation and 
biotechnology.
    The proposed Food Safety Survey will contain many of the same 
questions and topics as previous Food Safety Surveys to facilitate 
measuring trends in food safety knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors 
over time. The proposed survey will also be updated to explore emerging 
consumer food safety topics and expand understanding of previously 
asked topics. For example, recent papers in both the United States 
(Ref. 3) and Europe (Refs. 4 and 5) have pointed to changing 
epidemiology of listeriosis where adults over 60 years old have the 
highest rates of the illness. One reason for the increase in 
listeriosis rates among those over 60 years old could be increasing 
host susceptibility due to widened use of immunocompromising 
medications. We plan to include questions on the proposed survey to 
document the proportion of those over 60 years old who self-report 
taking a defined list of major immunocompromising medications. In 
conjunction with our established questions about safe food handling and 
eating potentially risky foods, the additional questions will expand 
our understanding of listeriosis among those over 60. Other new topics 
planned to be covered on the survey include: Consumer understanding of 
mechanically tenderized beef, awareness of foodborne pathogens such as 
Toxoplasma gondii, and awareness of the risks associated with eating 
raw sprouts.
    The methods for the proposed Food Safety Survey will be largely the 
same as those used with the previous Food Safety Surveys. One major 
difference is that, unlike the data collection mode for previous Food 
Safety Surveys that used only land telephone lines, the proposed survey 
will include cell phones in addition to landlines. A nationally 
representative sample of 4,000 adults (2,400 landline and 1,600 cell 
phone) will be selected at random for the telephone interviews. The 
survey will also include an oversample of Hispanics and Blacks to 
ensure a minimum of 400 each. Additionally, 50 non-respondents will be 
asked to participate in a short version of the survey from which we 
will conduct a non-response analysis. Participation in the survey will 
be voluntary. Cognitive interviews and a pre-test will be conducted 
prior to fielding the survey.
FDA estimates the burden of this collection of information as follows:

                                                     Table 1--Estimated Annual Reporting Burden \1\
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                                                                 Number of
                  Activity                       Number of     responses per   Total annual           Average burden per response           Total hours
                                                respondents     respondent       responses
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Cognitive interview screener................              75               1              75  0.083 (5 mins.)...........................               6
Cognitive interview.........................               9               1               9  1. (60 mins.).............................               9

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Pretest screener............................              45               1              45  0.0167 (1 min.)...........................               1
Pretest.....................................              18               1              18  0.33 (20 mins.)...........................               6
Survey screener.............................          10,000               1          10,000  0.0167 (1 min.)...........................             167
Survey......................................           4,000               1           4,000  0.33 (20 mins)............................            1320
Non-response survey screener................             125               1             125  0.0167 (1 min.)...........................               2
Non-response survey.........................              50               1              50  0.1 (10 mins.)............................               5
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    Total...................................  ..............  ..............  ..............  ..........................................            1516
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\1\ There are no capital costs or operating and maintenance costs associated with this collection of information.

FDA's burden estimate is based on the Agency's prior experience with 
the Food Safety Survey.

II. References

1. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, ``Healthy People 
2020--Improving the Lives of Americans,'' July 30, 2013. Available 
at http://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/default.aspx.
2. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food Safety Inspection Service, 
``Strategic Plan FY 2011-2016,'' April 6, 2012. Available at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/informational/aboutfsis/strategic-planning/fy-2011-2016-strategic-plan/ct_index.
3. Pouillot, R., Hoelzer, K., Jackson, K.A., Henao, O.L. and Silk, 
B.J. ``Relative Risk of Listeriosis in Foodborne Diseases Active 
Surveillance Network (FoodNet) Sites According to Age, Pregnancy, 
and Ethnicity,'' Clinical Infectious Diseases, 54(S5): S401-410, 
2012.
4. Goulet, V., Hedberg, C., Le Monnier A. and de Valk, H. 
``Increasing Incidence of Listeriosis in France and other European 
Countries,'' Emerging Infectious Diseases, 14(5): 734-740, 2008.
5. Mu[ntilde]oz, P., Rojas, L., Bunsow, E., Saez, E., 
S[aacute]nchez-Cambronero, L., Alcal[aacute], L., Rogr[iacute]guez-
Creixems, M. and Bouza, E. ``Listeriosis: An Emerging Public Health 
Problem Especially Among the Elderly,'' Journal of Infection, 64: 
19-33, 2012.

    Dated: October 25, 2013.
Leslie Kux,
Assistant Commissioner for Policy.
[FR Doc. 2013-25976 Filed 10-31-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-01-P