[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 245 (Friday, December 22, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 88559-88560]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-28269]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

U.S. Codex Office


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

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 23, 2024. 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 28th Session of the Codex Committee on 
Fats and Oils (CCFO28) of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC). 
CCFO28 will be held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, from February 19-23, 
2024. 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 28th Session of the CCFO and to address items on the 
agenda.

[[Page 88560]]


DATES: The public meeting is scheduled for January 23, 2024, from 1-
2:30 p.m. EDT.

ADDRESSES: The public meeting will take place via Video Teleconference 
only. Documents related to the 28th Session of the CCFO will be 
accessible via the internet at the following address: https://www.fao.org/fao-who-codexalimentarius/meetings/detail/jp/?meeting=CCFO&session=28.
    The U.S. Delegate to the 28th Session of the CCFO invites 
interested U.S. parties to submit their comments electronically to the 
following email address: [email protected] or 
[email protected].
    Registration: Attendees may register to attend the public meeting 
here: https://www.zoomgov.com/meeting/register/vJIsdOCtqzsjHRhu5Zl-hKwftuzVhRNchlo. After registering, you will receive a confirmation 
email containing information about joining the meeting.
    For further information about the 28th Session of the CCFO, contact 
Dr. Girdhari Sharma of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 
[email protected]. For additional information about the 
public meeting, contact the U.S. Codex Office by email at: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The Codex Alimentarius Commission 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 Terms of Reference of the Codex Committee on Fats and Oils 
(CCFO) are:
    (a) To elaborate 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 the CCFO 
as a member country of Codex.

Issues To Be Discussed at the Public Meeting

    The following items from the forthcoming Agenda for the 28th 
Session of the CCFO will be discussed during the public meeting:

 Matters referred to the Committee by the Codex Alimentarius 
Commission and/or its subsidiary bodies
 Consideration of the recommendations of the Reports of the 
90th and 91st Meeting of the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food 
Additives (JECFA)
 Proposed draft Amendment/revision to the Standard for Named 
Vegetable Oils (CXS 210-1999)
[cir] Inclusion of avocado oil
[cir] Inclusion of camellia seed oil
[cir] Inclusion of sacha inchi oil
[cir] Inclusion of high oleic acid soya bean oil
 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 amendment/revision of the Standard for Fish 
Oils (CXS 329-2017): Inclusion of Calanus oil
 Review of the List of Acceptable Previous Cargoes (Appendix II 
to CXC 36-1987)
 Discussion paper on possible work that CCFO could undertake to 
reduce trans fatty acids (TFAs) or eliminate partially hydrogenated 
oils (PHOs)
 Consideration of the proposals for new work and or amendments 
to existing Codex Standards

Public Meeting

    At the January 23, 2024 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. Girdhari Sharma of the 
U.S. Food and Drug Administration at [email protected] or Ms. 
Doreen Chen Moulec of the U.S. Codex Office at 
[email protected]. Written comments should state that they 
relate to activities of the 28th 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 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 December 19, 2023.
Julie Chao,
Deputy U.S. Manager for Codex Alimentarius.
[FR Doc. 2023-28269 Filed 12-21-23; 8:45 am]
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