[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 185 (Tuesday, September 24, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49982-49983]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-20606]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

U.S. Codex Office


Codex Alimentarius Commission: Meeting of the Codex Committee on 
Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses

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 
November 1, 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 41st Session of 
the Codex Committee on Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses 
(CCNFSDU) of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, in Dusseldorf, Germany, 
November 24-29, 2019. The U.S. Manager for Codex Alimentarius and the 
Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs recognize 
the importance of providing interested parties the opportunity to 
obtain background information on the 41st Session of the CCNFSDU and to 
address items on the agenda.

DATES: The public meeting is scheduled for November 1, 2019, from 1:00-
4:00 EDT.

ADDRESSES: The public meeting will take place in Meeting Room 1A003, 
The Wiley Auditorium of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 
Harvey H. Wiley Building, 5001 Campus Drive, College Park, MD 20740. 
Documents related to the 41st Session of the CCNFSDU will be accessible 
via the internet at the following address: http://www.fao.org/fao-who-codexalimentarius/meetings/en/. Dr. Douglas Balentine, U.S. Delegate to 
the 41st Session of the CCNFSDU, 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 41st Session of the CCNFSDU by conference call, please register 
by emailing [email protected] to receive the call-in number and 
participant code.
    Registration: Attendees may register to attend the public meeting 
by emailing [email protected] by October 30, 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 41st Session of the CCNFSDU, 
contact U.S. Delegate, Dr. Douglas Balentine, Director, Office of 
Nutrition and Food Labelling, Center for Food Safety and

[[Page 49983]]

Applied Nutrition, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 5001 Campus Drive 
(HFS-830), College Park, MD 20740; phone: +1 (240) 402-2375; email: 
[email protected].

For Further Information about the public meeting Contact: U.S. Codex 
Office, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Room 4861, South Agriculture 
Building, Washington, DC 20250. Phone 202-720-7760, 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 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, Codex seeks to 
protect the health of consumers and ensure fair practices in the food 
trade.
    The Terms of Reference of the Codex Committee on Nutrition and 
Foods for Special Dietary Uses (CCNFSDU) are:
    (a) To study specific nutritional problems assigned to it by the 
Commission and advise the Commission on general nutrition issues;
    (b) To draft general provisions, as appropriate, concerning the 
nutritional aspects of all foods;
    (c) To develop standards, guidelines, or related texts for foods 
for special dietary uses, in cooperation with other committees where 
necessary;
    (d) To consider, amend if necessary, and endorse provisions on 
nutritional aspects proposed for inclusion in Codex standards, 
guidelines, and related texts.
    The CCNFSDU is hosted by Germany. The United States attends the 
CCNFSDU as a member country of Codex.

Issues To Be Discussed at the Public Meeting

    The following items on the Agenda for the 41st Session of the 
CCNFSDU will be discussed during the public meeting:

 Matters referred to the Committee by the Codex Alimentarius 
Commission and/or other subsidiary bodies
 Matters of interest arising from FAO and WHO
 Review of the Standard for Follow-up Formula (CXS 156-1987)
    [cir] Draft scope, description, and labelling for follow-up formula 
for older infants
    [cir] Essential composition requirements for follow-up formula for 
older infants and [product] for young children
    [cir] Proposed draft product definition and labelling for [product] 
for young children
    [cir] Proposed draft standard for follow-up formula for older 
infants and [product] for young children
 Ready-to-use Therapeutic Foods
    [cir] Proposed draft guidelines for Ready-to-use Therapeutic Foods
    [cir] Section 5.2.2 (food additives) and Section 6.2 (proteins)
 Trans-fatty acids (TFAs)
    [cir] Proposed draft claim for ``free'' of trans fatty acids

Public Meeting

    At the November 1, 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 Dr. Douglas Balentine, U.S. 
Delegate for the 41st Session of the CCNFSDU (see ADDRESSES). Written 
comments should state that they relate to activities of the 41st 
Session of the CCNFSDU.

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 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 subscription 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 September 18, 2019.
Mary Lowe,
U.S. Manager for Codex Alimentarius.
[FR Doc. 2019-20606 Filed 9-23-19; 8:45 am]
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