[Federal Register: March 7, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 44)]
[Notices]
[Page 10135-10136]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr07mr07-30]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food Safety and Inspection Service
[Docket No. FSIS-2006-0044]
Notice of Request for a Revision of a Currently Approved
Information Collection (Listeria Control for Ready-to-Eat Products)
AGENCY: Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice and request for comments.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and the
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regulations, the Food Safety and
Inspection Service (FSIS) is announcing its intention to request a
revision of an approved information collection regarding Listeria
Control for Ready-to-Eat products to reflect its most recent plant
data, which support a finding of fewer total burden hours.
DATES: Comments on this notice must be received on or before May 7,
2007.
ADDRESSES: FSIS invites interested persons to submit comments on this
notice. Comments may be submitted by any of the following methods:
Mail, including floppy disks or CD-ROM's, and hand-or
courier-delivered items: Send to Docket Clerk, U.S. Department of
Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service, 300 12th Street, SW.,
Room 102 Cotton Annex, Washington, DC 20250.
Electronic mail: fsis.regulationscomments@fsis.usda.gov.
Federal eRulemaking Portal: This Web site provides the
ability to type short comments directly into the comment field on this
Web page or attach a file for lengthier comments. Go to http://www.regulation.gov
and in the ``Search for Open Regulations'' box,
select ``Food Safety and Inspection Service'' from the agency drop-down
menu, then click on ``Submit.'' In the Docket ID column, select FDMS
Docket Number FSIS-2006-0044 to submit or view public comments and to
view supporting and related materials available electronically.
All submissions received by mail or electronic mail must include
the Agency name and docket number. All comments submitted in response
to this document, as well as research and background information used
by FSIS in developing this document, will be available for public
inspection in the FSIS Docket Room at the address listed above between
8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal
holidays. Comments will also be posted on the Agency's Web site at
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/regulations_&_policies/regulations_directives_&_notices/index.asp
.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John O'Connell, Paperwork Reduction
Act Coordinator, Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA, 300 12th
Street, SW., Room 112, Washington, DC 20250-3700, (202) 720-0345.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: Listeria Control for Ready-to-Eat Products.
OMB Number: 0583-0132.
Expiration Date of Approval: 07/31/2007.
Type of Request: Revision of an approved information collection.
Abstract: FSIS has been delegated the authority to exercise the
functions of the Secretary as specified in the Federal Meat Inspection
Act (FMIA) (21 U.S.C. 601, et seq.) and the Poultry Products Inspection
Act (PPIA) (21 U.S.C. 451, et seq.). These statutes provide that FSIS
is to protect the public by verifying that meat and poultry products
are safe, wholesome, unadulterated, and properly labeled and packaged.
FSIS regulations (9 CFR 430.4) require official establishments that
produce certain ready-to-eat (RTE) meat and poultry products to take
measures to prevent product adulteration by the pathogen Listeria
monocytogenes.
Official establishments that produce RTE meat and poultry products
annually furnish FSIS with information on the production volume of RTE
products affected by the regulations and the control measures used by
the establishments.
RTE establishments develop microbiological sampling and testing
plans to support the efficacy of sanitation controls. RTE
establishments develop microbiological sampling plans to ensure that
their sanitation procedures are adequate.
RTE establishments sample and test food-contact surfaces to verify
that their Listeria controls are working.
Some RTE establishments hold and test for L. monocytogenes or
indicator organisms.
FSIS is requesting a revision of an approved information collection
addressing paperwork and recordkeeping requirements regarding Listeria
control. The Agency is revising the Listeria controls information
collection based on its most recent plant data, which support a finding
of fewer total burden hours than there are in the approved information
collection.
FSIS has made the following estimates based upon an information
collection assessment:
Estimate of Burden: FSIS estimates that it will take respondents an
average of 8.3 hours annually to collect and report this information.
Respondents: Ready-to-Eat establishments.
Estimated No. of Respondents: 3,590.
Estimated No. of Annual Responses per Respondent: 45,388.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 29,793 hours.
Copies of this information collection assessment can be obtained
from John O'Connell, Paperwork Reduction Act Coordinator, Food Safety
and Inspection Service, USDA, 300 12th Street, SW., Room 112,
Washington, DC 20250-3700, (202) 720-5627, (202) 720-0345.
Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of
information is necessary for the proper performance of FSIS' functions,
including whether the information will have practical utility; (b) the
accuracy of FSIS' estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of
information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions
used; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the
information to be collected; and, (d) ways to minimize the burden of
the collection of information on those who are to respond, including
through the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or
other technological collection techniques, or other forms of
information technology. Comments may be sent to both John O'Connell,
Paperwork Reduction Act Coordinator, at the address provided above, and
the Desk Officer for Agriculture, Office of Information and Regulatory
Affairs,
[[Page 10136]]
Office of Management and Budget, Washington, DC 20253.
All responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the
request for OMB approval. All comments will also become a matter of
public record.
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 online
through the FSIS Web page located at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/regulations/2007_Notices_Index/index.asp
.
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.
In addition, FSIS offers an e-mail subscription service which
provides automatic and customized access to selected food safety news
and information. This service is available at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/news_and_events/email_subscription/.
Options range from recalls to
export information to regulations, directives and notices. Customers
can add or delete subscriptions themselves and have the option to
password protect their account.
Done at Washington, DC on March 2, 2007.
David P. Goldman,
Acting Administrator.
[FR Doc. E7-4086 Filed 3-6-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-DM-P