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Food Safety Institute of the Americas will hold a Public Meeting
A public meeting to discuss future plans for the Food Safety Institute of the Americas (FSIA) will be held October 13-15,
2004, in Miami, Fla. in conjunction with the grand opening of the Institute.
"Secretary Veneman challenged us to think broadly when it comes to improved food safety standards," Under
Secretary for Food Safety Dr. Elsa Murano said. "This institute will become a forum for scientific discussion and
educational opportunities for government and industry in all countries to improve the safety of imported and exported
meat, poultry and egg products."
FSIS invites all interested persons to take part in the public meeting and submit comments on the agenda topics.
Attendees will be encouraged to make suggestions on the scope and direction of the FSIA at plenary sessions and in small
group workshops. Issues to be discussed will include: identifying and assessing educational and informational needs;
fostering collaboration and partnership development; establishing strategies and best practices for developing and
delivering programs; and planning next steps for the FSIA.
FSIA is a cooperative organization dedicated to the development and promotion of effective food safety education and
training programs throughout the Americas. The FSIA will accomplish its goals through partnerships and cooperative
agreements with organizations and educational institutions.
Agenda and meeting materials are now available on FSIS' Web site at: www.fsis.usda.gov/News_&_Events/Meetings_&_Events.
The meetings will be held at the Radisson Hotel Miami, 1601 Biscayne Boulevard, from noon to 5 p.m., Wednesday, October 13;
from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursday, October 14; and from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Friday, October 15. All sessions are free,
but registration is required. Attendees who need sign language interpreters or have other special needs should contact the FSIA
at (305) 347-5552 or by fax at (305) 530-6066.
FSIS invites all interested persons to take part in the public meetings and submit comments on the topics to be discussed at the
public meeting. Comments may be submitted by mail to Docket Clerk, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection
Service, 300 12th Street, SW, Room 102 Cotton Annex, Washington, D.C. 20250-3700. Submissions must include the agency name and
docket number 04-035N. To comment, go to: www.fsis.usda.gov/regulations/2004_notices_index/
Public Meeting to Discuss Salmonella Risk Assessments
FSIS will hold a public meeting on October 22, 2004, to discuss two draft risk assessments related to Salmonella.
The first risk assessment is a quantitative analysis of Salmonella Enteritidis in shell eggs, and the second is a
quantitative risk assessment of Salmonella species found in pasteurized liquid egg products. The documents provide scientific
information that the Agency can use to develop pathogen reduction lethality performance standards for pasteurized shell eggs and
egg products.
The public meeting will provide a forum to discuss the technical design and assumptions that were used to create these
draft risk assessments. The draft risk assessments and a tentative agenda for the meeting are available at
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/regulations/2004_Notices_Index/
The public meeting is scheduled for October 22, 2004, from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol
Hill, 400 New Jersey Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C., 20001. Individuals interested in attending this meeting can
pre-register by calling 202-690-6516 or sending an e-mail to
renee.ellis@usda.gov.
For technical questions about the risk assessments or the meeting, contact Carl Schroeder, Ph.D., at (202) 690-6346 or e-mail
carl.schroeder@fsis.usda.gov.
Written comments on the draft risk assessments may be submitted to Docket Clerk, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and
Inspection Service, Docket 04-034N, 300 12th Street, SW, Room 102, Cotton Annex, Washington, D.C. 20250. Comments on the draft
risk assessments must be received on or before November 15, 2004.
FSIS Announces 2004 State Partnership Cooperative Agreements for Animal and Egg Production Food Safety
FSIS will award nine states $275,000 to help educate food animal producers about production practices that promote food safety.
Through cooperative agreements, FSIS provides states with funding and resources to develop state-level animal production food
safety partnerships. FSIS enters into these agreements with State Departments of Agriculture and/or state animal health agencies
to encourage development of HACCP-compatible animal production food safety practices.
"The partnerships between FSIS and these nine states will further enhance communication and cooperation and will
improve food safety practices on the farm," said Acting FSIS Administrator Dr. Barbara J. Masters. "These initiatives
provide critically important information to producers about minimizing potentially dangerous pathogens."
Florida, Indiana, Maryland, Missouri, New Jersey, Ohio, South Dakota, Vermont and West Virginia will receive funding to
support their animal and egg production food safety programs. The funds will support a variety of educational programs
and initiatives, including demonstrations of best management practices for producers, methods to improve humane handling
of livestock, antibiotic residue avoidance and compliance with the Food and Drug Administration's ruminant feed ban.
The development and implementation of best management practices to reduce foodborne pathogens before slaughter is one of
the goals outlined in USDA's food safety vision paper, "Enhancing Public Health: Strategies for the Future."
The science-based initiatives outlined in the vision document will help FSIS better understand, predict and prevent
microbiological contamination of meat and poultry products, improving health outcomes for American families.
To view the food safety vision paper visit: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/About_FSIS/Fulfilling_the_Vision/
FSIS Announces Final Rule To Amend Nutrition Labeling Regulations For "Meal-Type" Products
FSIS announced a final rule last week that amends nutrition labeling regulations. The final rule will permit nutrient
content claims on the labeling of multi-serve "meal-type" meat and poultry products. Previously, FSIS only allowed
nutrient content claims on single serve meat and poultry products.
The final rule adopts the definitions of "meal-type" and "main-dish" products used by the U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services' Food and Drug Administration. As a result, nutrient content claims will be based on 100 grams of product
instead of the serving size.
The amended nutrition labeling regulations will provide consumers with consistent nutrient content claim information as
well as additional tools and guidance for selecting foods that meet their dietary needs. This will allow consumers to
make valid comparisons among food product categories.
FSIS now will define "meal-type" and "main-dish" products as containing not less than three 40-gram portions of food from
at least two of the four food groups, such as bread, fruit, meats and milk. "Meal-type" products must weigh at least 10
ounces per serving. "Main-dish" products must weigh at least six ounces per serving. The final rule will take effect on
November 30, 2004.
To receive copies of the petition and supporting documentation, please contact the FSIS Docket Clerk, #00-046F, U.S.
Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service, Room 102, Cotton Annex, 300 12th St., S.W., Washington,
DC 20250-3700.
Questions on Ready-to-Eat Products
FSIS has received several questions from industry regarding completion of the survey form "Production Information on
Post-Lethality Exposed Ready-to-Eat Products" (FSIS Form 10,240-1). To provide timely answers to those questions
and to ensure that the widest audience within industry is aware of these answers, the questions and answers (Q&As) will
be posted on the FSIS Web site as a related document to Form 10,240-1 at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Forms/. The Q&As will be updated weekly.
An FSIS Notice to inspection personnel also will be issued in order to inform inspection program personnel about the Q&As and will
be posted on FSIS' Web site.
Featured Office of the Week: Management Support Staff
This staff provides all management, administrative and budget support for Office of Public Health Science (OPHS),
programmatic oversight in areas of laboratory programs, special projects, training, and continuous improvement impacting
the Agency. It provides management and financial oversight for the Accredited Laboratory Program. To learn more please
visit: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/About_FSIS/OPHS/
Library of Export Requirement Updated
The Library of Export Requirements has been updated to reflect changes
in export requirements for European Union, Japan, Romania, Russia and Western Samoa.
Complete information can be found at:
www.fsis.usda.gov/regulations/
Index_of_Import_Requirements_by_Country/
The USDA Food Safety Mobile: Taking Food Safety Education on the Road
The USDA Food Safety Mobile travels continuously throughout the United States to educate consumers about the risks
associated with mishandling food and steps they can take to reduce their risk of foodborne illness. The next dates
and locations are as follows:
The next stops for the Food Safety Mobile are:
- Oct 14-16, 2004 AARP's National Event and Expo (Las Vegas, NV)
- Oct 25, 2004 Elementary School (Las Vegas, NV)
- Oct 27, 2004 Elementary School (Las Vegas, NV)
THIS WEEK'S HOT WEB LINKS
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