[Federal Register: October 22, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 204)]
[Notices]               
[Page 62018-62019]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr22oc04-19]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food Safety and Inspection Service

[Docket No. 04-039N]

 
National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for 
Foods; Renewal

AGENCY: Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of Re-chartering of Committee.

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SUMMARY: This notice is announcing the re-chartering of the National 
Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods (NACMCF). The 
Committee has been renewed in cooperation with the Department of Health 
and Human Services (HHS). The establishment of the Committee was 
recommended by a 1985 report of the National Academy of Sciences 
Committee on Food Protection, Subcommittee on Microbiological Criteria, 
``An Evaluation of the Role of Microbiological Criteria for Foods.'' 
The current charter for the NACMCF is available for viewing on the 
NACMCF homepage at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/About_FSIS/NACMCF_Charter/
.


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Karen Thomas, Advisory Committee 
Specialist, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food Safety 
and Inspection Service, Room 333 Aerospace Center, 1400 Independence 
Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20250-3700. Background materials are 
available for inspection on the Web at the above address or by 
contacting Ms. Thomas at (202) 690-6620.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is charged with 
the

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administration and the enforcement of the Federal Meat Inspection Act 
(FMIA), the Poultry Products Inspection Act (PPIA), and the Egg 
Products Inspection Act (EPIA). The Secretary of HHS is charged with 
the administration and enforcement of the Federal Food, Drug, and 
Cosmetic Act (FFDCA). These Acts help protect consumers by assuring 
that food products are wholesome, not adulterated, and properly marked, 
labeled and packaged.
    In order to assist the Secretaries in carrying out their 
responsibilities under the FMIA, PPIA, EPIA, and FFDCA, the NACMCF has 
been re-chartered. The Committee will be charged with advising and 
providing recommendations to the Secretaries on the development of 
microbiological criteria by which the safety and wholesomeness of food 
can be assessed, including criteria for microorganisms that indicate 
whether foods have been adequately and appropriately processed.
    Re-chartering of this Committee is necessary and in the public 
interest because of the need for external expert advice on the range of 
scientific and technical issues that must be addressed by the Federal 
sponsors in meeting their statutory responsibilities. The complexity of 
the issues to be addressed requires that the Committee meet at least 
twice per year.
    Members will be appointed by the Secretary of USDA after 
consultation with the Secretary of HHS. Because of their interest in 
the matters to be addressed by this Committee, advice on membership 
appointments will be requested from the Department of Commerce's 
National Marine Fisheries Service, the Department of Defense's 
Veterinary Service Activity, and the Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention.

Additional Public Notification

    Public awareness of all segments of rulemaking and policy 
development is important. Consequently, in an effort to ensure that the 
public and in particular minorities, women, and persons with 
disabilities, are aware of this notice, FSIS will announce it on-line 
through the FSIS Web page located at http://www.fsis.usda.gov.

    FSIS also will make copies of this Federal Register publication 
available through the FSIS Constituent Update, which is used to provide 
information regarding FSIS policies, procedures, regulations, Federal 
Register notices, FSIS public meetings, recalls, and other types of 
information that could affect or would be of interest to our 
constituents and stakeholders. The update is communicated via Listserv, 
a free e-mail subscription service consisting of industry, trade, and 
farm groups, consumer interest groups, allied health professionals, 
scientific professionals, and other individuals who have requested to 
be included. The update also is available on the FSIS Web page. Through 
Listserv and the Web page, FSIS is able to provide information to a 
much broader, more diverse audience.

    Done at Washington, DC, on October 19, 2004.
Elsa Murano,
Under Secretary for Food Safety.
[FR Doc. 04-23824 Filed 10-21-04; 8:45 am]