[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 248 (Friday, December 28, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 67211-67212]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-28187]


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 Notices
                                                 Federal Register
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
 or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings 
 and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings, 
 delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency 
 statements of organization and functions are examples of documents 
 appearing in this section.
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  Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 248 / Friday, December 28, 2018 / 
Notices  

[[Page 67211]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

U.S. Codex Office


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

AGENCY: U.S. Codex Office, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of public meeting and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The U.S Codex Office is sponsoring a public meeting on January 
16, 2019. The objective of the public meeting is to provide information 
and receive public comments on agenda items and draft United States 
(U.S.) positions to be discussed at the 26th Session of the Codex 
Committee on Fats and Oils (CCFO) of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, 
in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, February 25-March 1, 2019. The U.S. Manager 
for Codex Alimentarius and the Under Secretary, Office of Trade and 
Foreign Agricultural Affairs, recognize the importance of providing 
interested parties the opportunity to obtain background information on 
the 26th Session of the CCFO and to address items on the agenda.

DATES: The public meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, January 16, 2019 
from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. EST.

ADDRESSES: The public meeting will take place in Meeting Room 2B047 at 
the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, U.S. Food and Drug 
Administration, 5001 Campus Drive, College Park, MD 20740-3835. 
Documents related to the 26th 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 26th Session of the CCFO invites 
U.S. 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 6th Session of the CCFO by conference call, please use the 
call-in-number: 1-888-844-9904 and participant code 5126092.
    Registration: Attendees may register to attend the public meeting 
by emailing [email protected] by January 11, 2019. Early 
registration is encouraged because it will expedite entry into the 
building. The meeting will take place in a Federal building. Attendees 
should bring photo identification and plan for adequate time to pass 
through the security screening systems. Attendees who are not able to 
attend the meeting in person, but who wish to participate, may do so by 
phone, as discussed above.
    For Further Information about the 6th Session of the CCFO Contact: 
U.S. Delegate, Dr. Paul South, Director, Division of Plant Products and 
Beverages, Office of Food Safety (HFS-317), Center for Food Safety and 
Applied Nutrition, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 5001 Campus 
Drive, College Park, MD 20740-3835, Phone: +1 (240) 402-1640, Fax: +1 
(301) 436-2632, [email protected].
    For Further Information about the Public Meeting Contact: Marie 
Maratos, U.S. Codex Office, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Room 4861, 
South Agriculture Building, Washington, DC 20250. Phone: (202) 690-
4795, Fax: (202) 720-3157, Email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

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

Issues To Be Discussed at the Public Meeting

The following items on the Agenda for the 26th Session of the CCFO will 
be discussed during the public meeting:

 Matters referred by the Codex Alimentarius Commission and its 
subsidiary bodies
 Draft revision to the Standard for Named Vegetable Oils (CXS 
210-1999): Addition of Palm Oil with High Oleic Acid (OXG)
 Proposed draft revision to the Standard for Olive Oils and 
Olive Pomace Oils (CXS 33-1981): Revision of Sections 3, 8, and 
Appendix
 Proposed draft revision to the Standard for Named Vegetable 
Oils (CXS 210-1999):
 Change in the Temperature for the Analysis of Refractive Index 
and Apparent Density of Palm Superolein
 Replacement of acid value with free fatty acids for virgin 
palm oil and inclusion of free fatty acids for crude palm kernel oil
 Revision of the essential composition of sunflowerseed oils
 Inclusion of walnut oil, almond oil, hazelnut oil, pistachio 
oil, flaxseed oil, and avocado oil in the Standard for Named Vegetable 
Oils (CODEX STAN 210-1999)
 Review of the List of Acceptable Previous Cargoes (Appendix II 
to CXC 36-1987)--Replies to Circular Letter (CL) 2017/61/OCS-CCFO
 Alignment of food additives provisions in standards for fats 
and oils (except fish oils) and technological justification for use of 
emulsifiers in Food Category 02.1.2 of the General Standard for Food 
Additives (GSFA)
 Report on the outcome of monitoring the conformity of named 
fish oils with the requirements (especially the fatty acid profile) of 
fish oil standard and its effect on trade (Replies to CL 2017/74-FO)
 Discussion paper on better management of the work of the Codex 
Committee on Fats and Oils
 Discussion paper on the Inclusion of unrefined edible tallow 
in the Standard for Named Animal Fats (CODEX STAN 211-1999)
 Discussion paper on the applicability of the fatty acid 
composition of other oils listed in Table 1 in relation to their 
corresponding crude form in the Standard for Named Vegetable Oils (CXS 
210-1999)

[[Page 67212]]

 Discussion paper on the inclusion of free fatty acids as 
quality characteristics criteria for refined rice bran oil in in the 
Standard for Named Vegetable Oil (CXS 210-1999)
 Other Business

Public Meeting

    At the January 16, 2019, public meeting, draft U.S. positions on 
the agenda items will be described and discussed, and attendees will 
have the opportunity to pose questions and offer comments. Written 
comments may be offered at the meeting or sent to Paul South, U.S. 
Delegate for the 26th Session of the CCFO (see ADDRESSES). Written 
comments should state that they relate to activities of the 26th 
Session of the CCFO.

Additional Public Notification

    Public awareness of all segments of rulemaking and policy 
development is important. Consequently, the U.S. Codex Office will 
announce this Federal Register publication on-line through the USDA 
Codex web page located at: http://www.usda.gov/codex, a link that also 
offers an email subscription service providing access to information 
related to Codex. Customers can add or delete their 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).

    Done at Washington, DC, on December 12, 2018.
Mary Lowe,
U.S. Manager for Codex Alimentarius.
[FR Doc. 2018-28187 Filed 12-27-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE P