Proposed Rules. Notice of public meeting and request for comments

Agency: Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA
Action: Notice of public meeting and request for comments
Citation: 67 FR (No. 246) · FR Doc. 02-32242 · Docket No. 02-042N

Summary

The Office of the Under Secretary for Food Safety, of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), of the Department of Health and Human Services, are sponsoring a public meeting on January 8, 2003, to present and receive comment on draft United States positions on all issues coming before the Thirty-fifth Session of the Codex Committee on Food Hygiene (CCFH), which will be held in Orlando, Florida, January 27-February 1, 2003.

Dates

The public meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, January 8, 2003, from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Supplementary Information

Background The Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex) was established in 1962 by two United Nations organizations, the Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Health Organization. Codex is the major international organization for encouraging fair international trade in food and protecting the health and economic interests of consumers. 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 ensure that the world's food supply is sound, wholesome, free from adulteration, and correctly labeled. The Codex Committee on Food Hygiene was established to draft basic provisions on food hygiene for all foods. The Government of the United States hosts this Committee and will chair the Committee meeting. Issues To Be Discussed at the Public Meeting The following specific issues will be discussed during the public meeting: 1. Matters Referred by the Codex Alimentarius Commission and/or Other Codex Committees to the Food Hygiene Committee. 2. Endorsement of Hygiene Provisions in the Codex Standards and Codes of Practice: • Code of Practice for Fish and Fish Products at Step 8. • Section on Processing of Frozen Surimi at Step 5/8. 3. Draft Revised Guidelines for the Application of HACCP Systems at Step 7. 4. Consideration of the Obstacles to the Application of HACCP, Particularly in Small and Less Developed Businesses and Approaches to Overcome Them. 5. Reports of the ad hoc Expert Consultations on Risk Assessment of Microbiological Hazards in Food and Related Matters. 6. Discussion Paper on Risk Management Strategies for Salmonella spp. In Poultry. 7. Discussion Paper on Risk Management Strategies for Vibrio spp. 8. Risk Profile for Enterohemorragic E. coli Including the Identification of the Commodities of Concern, Including Sprouts, Ground Beef and Pork. 9. Proposed Draft Process by which the Committee on Food Hygiene Could Undertake its Work in Microbiological Risk Assessment/Risk Management. 10. Proposed Draft Principles and Guidelines for the Conduct of Microbiological Risk Management at Step 4. 11. Proposed Draft Guidelines for the Control of Listeria monocytogenes in Foods at Step 4. 12. Proposed Draft Code of Hygienic Practice for Milk and Milk Products at Step 4. 13. Proposed Draft Revision of the Code of Hygienic Practice for Egg Products (CAC/RCP 30-1983) at Step 4. 14. Proposed Draft Guidelines for the Validation of Food Hygiene Control Measures at Step 4. 15. Risk analysis in the Elaboration of Codex Standards and Codes. Additional Public Notification Public awareness of all segments of rulemaking and policy development is important. Consequently, in an effort to ensure that minorities, women, and persons with disabilities are aware of this notice, FSIS will announce it and make copies of this Federal Register publication available through FSIS Constituent Update. FSIS provides a weekly FSIS Constituent Update, which is communicated via Listserv, a free e-mail subscription service. In addition, the update is available on-line through the FSIS web page located at http://www.fsis.usda.gov . The update is used to provide information regarding FSIS policies, procedures, regulations, Federal Register notices, FSIS public meetings, recalls, and any other types of information that could affect or would be of interest to our constituents/stakeholders. The constituent Listserv consists of industry, trade, and farm groups, consumer interest groups, allied health professionals, scientific professionals, and other individuals that have requested to be included. Through the Listserv and web page, FSIS is able to provide information to a much broader, more diverse audience. For more information contact the Congressional and Public Affairs Office, at (202) 720-9113. To be added to the free e-mail subscription service (Listserv), go to the “Constituent Update” page on the FSIS Web site at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/oa/update/update.htm . Click on the “Subscribe to the Constituent Update Listserv” link, then fill out and submit the form. F. Edward Scarbrough, U.S. Manager for Codex Alimentarius. [FR Doc. 02-32242 Filed 12-20-02; 8:45 am]