[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 41 (Thursday, March 2, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13081-13082]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-04236]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

U.S. Codex Office


Codex Alimentarius Commission: Meeting of the Codex Committee on 
Contaminants in Food

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 March 
27, 2023, from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. EDT. The objective of the public 
meeting is to provide information and receive public comments on agenda 
items and draft U.S. positions to be discussed at the 16th Session of 
the Codex Committee on Contaminants in Foods (CCCF) of the Codex 
Alimentarius Commission, in Utrecht, Netherlands on April 18-21 (in 
person) and April 26, 2023 (virtual report adoption). 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 16th 
Session of the CCCF and to address items on the agenda.

DATES: The public meeting is scheduled for March 27, 2023, from 1:00 
p.m. to 4:00 p.m. EDT via Video Teleconference only.

ADDRESSES: Documents related to the 16th Session of the CCCF will be 
accessible via the internet at the following address: https://www.fao.org/fao-who-codexalimentarius/meetings/detail/en/?meeting=CCCF&session=16.
    Dr. Lauren Posnick Robin, U.S. Delegate to the 16th Session of the 
CCCF, invites interested U.S. parties to submit their comments 
electronically to the following email address: Quynh-Anh Nguyen, [email protected]. Emailed comments should state in the title that 
they relate to activities of the 16th Session of the CCCF.
    Registration: Attendees may register to attend the public meeting 
here: https://fda.zoomgov.com/meeting/register/vJItf-qrrTotHHFHSsnbirJ1PZMFJrvaoUI.
    After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing 
information about joining the meeting.
    For further information about the 16th session of CCCF, contact 
U.S. Delegate, Dr. Lauren Posnick Robin, [email protected].
    For further Information about the public meeting, contact: U.S. 
Codex Office, [email protected], or Quynh-Anh Nguyen, [email protected], Phone (240) 402-2028.

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 Contaminants in Foods (CCCF) is responsible 
for:
    (a) Establishing or endorsing permitted maximum levels and where 
necessary, revising existing guideline levels, for contaminants and 
naturally occurring toxicants in food and feed;
    (b) Preparing priority lists of contaminants and naturally 
occurring toxicants for risk assessment by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert 
Committee on Food Additives (JEFCA).
    (c) Considering and elaborating methods of analysis and sampling 
for the determination of contaminants and

[[Page 13082]]

naturally occurring toxicants in food and feed;
    (d) Considering and elaborating standards or codes of practice for 
related subjects; and
    (e) Considering other matters assigned to it by the Commission in 
relation to contaminants and naturally occurring toxicants in food and 
feed.
    The Committee is hosted by the Netherlands. The United States 
attends the CCCF as a member country of Codex.

Issues To Be Discussed at the Public Meeting

    The following items on the Agenda for the 16th Session of the CCCF 
will be discussed during the public meeting:
     Matters referred to CCCF by the Codex Alimentarius 
Commission and/or its subsidiary bodies.
     Matters of interest arising from FAO and WHO (including 
JECFA).
     Matters of interest arising from other international 
organizations.
     Maximum levels for lead in certain food categories.
     Code of practice for prevention and reduction of mycotoxin 
contamination in cassava and cassava-based products.
     Sampling plans for total aflatoxins in certain cereals and 
cereal-based products including foods for infants and young children.
     Maximum level for total aflatoxins in ready-to-eat peanuts 
and associated sampling plan.
     Maximum levels for total aflatoxins and ochratoxin A in 
nutmeg, dried chili and paprika, ginger, pepper and turmeric and 
associated sampling plans.
     Discussion Paper on Ciguatoxins.
     Discussion Paper on Pyrrolizidine alkaloids.
     Guidance on data analysis for development of maximum 
levels and for improved data collection.
     Forward work-plan for CCCF.
    [cir] Review of staple food-contaminant combinations for future 
work of CCCF.
     Review of Codex standards for contaminants.
     Follow-up Work to the Outcomes of JECFA Evaluations and 
FAO/WHO Expert Consultations.
     Priority list of contaminants and naturally occurring 
toxicants proposed for evaluation by JECFA.
     Other business and future work.

Public Meeting

    At the March 27, 2023 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 [email protected]. 
Emailed comments should state in the title that they relate to 
activities of the 16th Session of the CCCF.

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 https://www.usda.gov/oascr/filing-program-discrimination-complaint-usda-customer, 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 February 24, 2023.
Mary Frances Lowe,
U.S. Manager for Codex Alimentarius.
[FR Doc. 2023-04236 Filed 3-1-23; 8:45 am]
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