[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 249 (Tuesday, December 30, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Page 78390]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-30483]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food Safety and Inspection Service
[Docket No. FSIS-2014-0029]
National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for
Foods; Renewal
AGENCY: Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of renewal of committee.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, this
notice is announcing the renewal of the charter 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 (DHHS). 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/wps/portal/searchhelp/sitemap/!ut/p/a1/rZLLbsIwEEW_hUWWlsfNg2RJI5FC1UQU2pJskPEjNUqckFhV1a-vU4G6ohQp3oxHvj66M7q4wFtcaPqhSmpUo2k19EWwgxUEJIphmUVkDov0dZU9xjEkT3dWkA-CC2cG1_6_4QIXTJvWvONc9qpHrNFGaOOAsrXTwt5qqrQDpmkV6x3g1FCrqirBBpeIao460TadsY-asprJcx3gLS0FF70q9U_HFMd5ILlwCeeIuq5AXhgJtOcBRb4MPElCT7pwsvaH-9A7Cy5Pn9v1TH8JyTMQWMzXG5L492RmCesbTV0BBmMD_bGB05GB2e07XP4j1OpwPBYzG80hjZ8Gb8fPZlu_1OFBtg9fG1nXuzRFdB-C61flZPIN_bauiQ!!/?1dmy¤t=true&urile=wcm%3apath%3a%2Ffsis-content%2Finternet%2Fmain%2Ftopics%2Fdata-collection-and-reports%2Fnacmcf%2Fcommittee-charter%2Fcharter.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Karen Thomas, Advisory Committee
Specialist, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food Safety and
Inspection Service (FSIS), Room 9-214D Patriots Plaza III, 1400
Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20250-3700. Telephone number:
(202) 690-6620.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
USDA is charged with the 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
DHHS is charged with the administration and enforcement of the Federal
Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA). These Acts help protect consumers
by ensuring 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 renewed. The Committee will continue to be charged with providing
recommendations to the Secretaries on the development of
microbiological criteria by which the safety and wholesomeness of food
can be assessed, including criteria for microorganisms that indicate
whether foods have been adequately and appropriately processed.
Renewal of this Committee and its charter 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
FSIS and DHHS in meeting their statutory responsibilities. To address
the complexity of the issues, the Committee is expected to meet one or
more times annually.
Members will be appointed by the Secretary of USDA after
consultation with the Secretary of the DHHS. Because of the complexity
of matters addressed by this Committee, the Secretary may consult with
other Federal Agencies, such as the Department of Commerce's National
Marine Fisheries Service, the Department of Defense's Veterinary
Service Activity, and the DHHS' Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, for advice on membership appointments. Background materials
are available on the Internet at the address noted above or by
contacting the person listed above.
Additional Public Notification
FSIS will announce this notice online through the FSIS Web page
located athttp://www.fsis.usda.gov/regulations_&_policies/Federal_Register_Notices/index.asp.
FSIS also will make copies of this Federal Register publication
available through the FSIS Constituent Update (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 also is available on the FSIS
Web site. In addition, FSIS offers an electronic mail subscription
service that provides automatic and customized access to selected food
safety news and information. This service is available at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/News_&_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.
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.
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.
Done at Washington, DC on: December 23, 2014.
Alfred V. Almanza,
Acting Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2014-30483 Filed 12-29-14; 8:45 am]
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