[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 244 (Tuesday, December 20, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 92770-92772]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-30600]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food Safety and Inspection Service

[Docket No. FSIS-2016-0045]


Codex Alimentarius Commission: Meeting of the Codex Committee on 
Fats and Oils

AGENCY: Office of the Deputy Under Secretary for Food Safety, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of public meeting and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Office of the Deputy Under Secretary for Food Safety, U.S. 
Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the Food and Drug Administration 
(FDA), Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN) are 
sponsoring a public meeting on January 24, 2017. The objective of the 
public meeting is to provide information and receive public comments on 
agenda items and draft United States (U.S.) positions that will be 
discussed at the 25th Session of the Codex Committee on Fats and Oils 
(CCFO) of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex), taking place in 
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, February 27-March 3, 2017. The Deputy Under 
Secretary for Food Safety and the FDA recognize the importance of 
providing interested parties the opportunity to obtain background 
information on the 25th Session of the CCFO and to address items on the 
agenda.

DATES: The public meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, January 24, 2017 
from 2:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The public meeting will take place at the Harvey Wiley 
Building, United States Food and Drug Administration, CFSAN, 5001 
Campus Drive, Room Number 1A-001, College Park, MD 20740.
    Documents related to the 25th Session of the CCFO will be 
accessible via the Internet at the following address: http://www.codexalimentarius.org/meetings-reports/en/.
    Paul South, U.S. Delegate to the 25th Session of the CCFO, invites 
U.S.

[[Page 92771]]

interested parties to submit their comments electronically to the 
following email address: [email protected].
    Call-in-Number: If you wish to participate in the public meeting 
for the 25th Session of the CCFO by conference call, please use the 
call-in-number and participant code listed below.
    Call-in-Number: 1-888-844-9904.
    The participant code will be posted on the following Web page 
below: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/international-affairs/us-codex-alimentarius/public-meetings.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT THE 25th SESSION OF THE CCFO CONTACT:  
Paul South, Review Chemist, Office of Food Safety, Center for Food 
Safety and Applied Nutrition, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 5100 
Paint Branch Parkway, College Park, MD 20740, Telephone: (240) 402-
1640, Fax: (301) 436-2632, Email: [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT THE PUBLIC MEETING CONTACT:  Marie 
Maratos, U.S. Codex Office, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Room 4861, 
Washington, DC 20250, Telephone: (202) 205-7760, Fax: (202) 720-3157, 
Email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    The Codex was established in 1963 by two United Nations 
organizations, the Food and Agriculture Organization and the World 
Health Organization. Through adoption of food standards, codes of 
practice, and other guidelines developed by its committees, and by 
promoting their adoption and implementation by governments, the Codex 
seeks to protect the health of consumers and ensure that fair practices 
are used in the food trade.
    The CCFO is responsible for elaborating worldwide standards for 
fats and oils of animal, vegetable and marine origin including 
margarine and olive oil. The Committee is hosted by Malaysia.

Issues To Be Discussed at the Public Meeting

    The following items on the Agenda for the 25th Session of the CCFO 
will be discussed during the public meeting:
     Matters referred by the Codex Alimentarius Commission and 
other Subsidiary Bodies;
     Activities of International Organizations relevant to the 
Work of the CCFO;
     Proposed draft Standard for Fish Oils and Proposed draft 
Revision to the Standard for Olive Oils and Olive Pomace Oils (CODEX 
STAN 33-1981): Revision of the Limit for Campesterol;
     Proposed draft revision to the Standard for Named 
Vegetable Oils (CODEX STAN 210-1999): Addition of Palm Oil with High 
Oleic Acid (OxG);
     Proposed draft revision to the Standard for Named 
Vegetable Oils (CODEX STAN 210-1999): Revision of Fatty Acid 
Composition and Other Quality Factors of Peanut Oil;
     Proposals for the transfer of provisions, other than those 
in Table 3 and Table 4, from the Appendix into the main body of the 
Standard for Named Vegetable Oils (CODEX STAN 210-1999);
     Review of the List of Acceptable Previous Cargoes 
(Appendix II to RCP 36-1987);
     Discussion Paper on the Revision of Limits of Oleic and 
Linoleic Acids in Sunflower seed Oils in the Standard for Named 
Vegetable Oils (CODEX STAN 210-1999);
     Discussion Paper on the Inclusion of Provisions for Walnut 
Oil, Almond Oil, Hazelnut Oil, Pistachio Oil, Flaxseed Oil, and Avocado 
Oil in the Standard for Named Vegetable Oils (CODEX STAN 210-1999);
     Discussion Paper on the Replacement of Acid Value with 
Free Fatty Acids for Virgin Palm Oils in the Standard for Named 
Vegetable Oils (CODEX STAN 210-1999);
     Discussion Paper on the Inclusion of Quality Parameters 
for Crude Rice Bran Oil in the Standard for Named Vegetable Oils (CODEX 
STAN 210-1999);
     Discussion Paper on the Inclusion of Unrefined Edible 
Tallow in the Standard for Named Animal Fats (CODEX STAN 211-1999); and
     Other business and future work.
    Each issue listed will be fully described in documents distributed, 
or to be distributed, by the Secretariat before to the Meeting. Members 
of the public may access or request copies of these documents (see 
ADDRESSES).

Public Meeting

    At the January 24, 2017 public meeting, draft U.S. positions on the 
agenda items will be described and discussed. Attendees will have the 
opportunity to pose questions and offer comments. Written comments may 
be offered at the meeting or sent to the U.S. Delegate for the 25th 
Session of CCFO, Paul South (see ADDRESSES). Written comments should 
state that they relate to activities of the 25th Session of the CCFO.

Additional Public Notification

    Public awareness of all segments of rulemaking and policy 
development is important. Consequently, FSIS will announce this Federal 
Register publication on-line through the FSIS Web page located at: 
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/federal-register.
    FSIS also will make copies of this 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 our constituents and 
stakeholders. The Update is available on the FSIS Web page. Through the 
Web page, FSIS is able to provide information to a much broader, more 
diverse audience. In addition, FSIS offers an email 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/subscribe. Options range from recalls to export 
information, regulations, directives, and notices. Customers can add or 
delete subscriptions themselves, and have the option to password 
protect their accounts.

USDA Non-Discrimination Statement

    No agency, officer, or employee of the USDA shall, on the grounds 
of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual 
orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, 
income derived from a public assistance program, or political beliefs, 
exclude from participation in, deny the benefits of, or subject to 
discrimination any person in the United States under any program or 
activity conducted by the USDA.

How To File a Complaint of Discrimination

    To file a complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program 
Discrimination Complaint Form, which may be accessed online at http://www.ocio.usda.gov/sites/default/files/docs/2012/Complain_combined_6_8_12.pdf, or write a letter signed by you or your 
authorized representative.
    Send your completed complaint form or letter to USDA by mail, fax, 
or email:
    Mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Director, Office of 
Adjudication, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20250-9410, 
Fax: (202) 690-7442, Email: [email protected].
    Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for 
communication (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.), should contact 
USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD).


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    Done at Washington, DC, on December 13, 2016.
Paulo Almeida,
Acting U.S. Manager for Codex Alimentarius.
[FR Doc. 2016-30600 Filed 12-19-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3410-DM-P