[Federal Register: August 7, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 153)]
[Notices]
[Page 45937]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr07au08-31]
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Notices
Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules
or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings
and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings,
delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency
statements of organization and functions are examples of documents
appearing in this section.
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[[Page 45937]]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food Safety and Inspection Service
[Docket No. FSIS-2008-0023]
National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for
Foods; Re-establishment
AGENCY: Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of re-chartering of Committee.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, this
notice is announcing the re-chartering of the National Advisory
Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods (NACMCF) by the
Secretary of Agriculture on June 5, 2008. The Committee is being
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/index.asp.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Karen Thomas-Sharp, Advisory Committee
Specialist, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food Safety and
Inspection Service (FSIS), Room 333 Aerospace Center, 1400 Independence
Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20250-3700. Telephone number: (202) 690-
6620.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
USDA is charged with 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 is
being 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 Department of Health and Human
Services' Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Background
materials are available on the Web at the NACMCF home page noted above
or by contacting Karen Thomas-Sharp at the information listed above.
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 online through the FSIS Web page located
at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/regulations/2008_Notices_Index/. FSIS
will also 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, and other types of information
that could affect or would be of interest to constituents and
stakeholders. The Update is communicated via Listserv, a free
electronic mail subscription service for industry, trade groups,
consumer interest groups, health professionals, and other individuals
who have asked to be included. The Update is also available on the FSIS
Web page. Through the Listserv and Web page, FSIS is able to provide
information to a much broader and 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
accounts.
Done at Washington, DC, on August 1, 2008.
Alfred V. Almanza,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. E8-18137 Filed 8-6-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-DM-P