[Federal Register: August 6, 2010 (Volume 75, Number 151)]
[Notices]
[Page 47524-47525]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr06au10-28]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food Safety and Inspection Service
[Docket No. FSIS-2010-0020]
Notice of Request for a Revision of a Currently Approved
Information Collection (Listeria Monocytogenes 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, this notice
announces the Food Safety and Inspection Service's (FSIS) intention to
request a revision of a currently approved information collection
regarding Listeria monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes) for ready-to-eat
(RTE) meat and poultry products because the OMB approval will expire on
November 30, 2010, and to reflect its most recent plant data, which
supports an estimate of fewer total burden hours.
DATES: Comments on this notice must be received on or before October 5,
2010.
ADDRESSES: FSIS invites interested persons to submit comments on this
notice. Comments may be submitted by either of the following methods:
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.regulations.gov. Follow the on-line instructions at that site for
submitting comments.
Mail, including floppy disks or CD-ROMs, and hand-or
courier-delivered items: Send to Docket Clerk, U.S. Department of
Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service, Room 2-2175 George
Washington Carver Center, 5601 Sunnyside Avenue, Beltsville, MD 20705.
Instructions: All items submitted by mail or electronic mail must
include the Agency name and docket number FSIS-2010-0020. Comments
received in response to this docket will be made available for public
inspection and posted without change, including any personal
information, to http://www.regulations.gov.
Docket: For access to background documents or comments received, go
to the FSIS Docket Room at the address listed above between 8:30 a.m.
and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Contact John O'Connell, Paperwork
Reduction Act Coordinator, Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA,
1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Room 6065 South Building, Washington, DC
20250, (202) 720-0345.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: Listeria Monocytogenes Control for Ready-to-Eat Products.
OMB Number: 0583-0132.
Expiration Date of Approval: 11/30/2010.
Type of Request: Revision of a currently 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, not adulterated, and properly labeled and
packaged.
FSIS regulations (9 CFR 430.4) require official establishments that
produce post-lethality exposed RTE meat and poultry products to take
measures to prevent product adulteration by the pathogen L.
monocytogenes.
Official establishments that produce these RTE meat and poultry
products are required to at least annually furnish FSIS with
information on the production volume of RTE products affected by the
regulations and the control measures used by the establishments (9 CFR
430.4(d)).
RTE establishments may have to 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 (9 CFR 430.4(b)(2)(iii),
430.4(b)(3), 430.4(c)(1) and 430.4(c)(7)).
RTE establishments sample and test food-contact surfaces to verify
that their L. monocytogenes controls are working (9 CFR
430.4(b)(2)(iii)(A) and (b)(3)(i)(A)).
RTE establishments that produce a deli product or a hot dog product
must hold lots of product after obtaining a second positive test for L.
monocytogenes or indicator organisms on a food contact surface in the
post-lethality processing environment until the establishment corrects
the problem indicated by the test result (9 CFR 430.4(b)(3)(ii)(B)).
FSIS is requesting a revision of an approved information collection
addressing paperwork requirements regarding L. monocytogenes control.
The Agency is revising the L. monocytogenes
[[Page 47525]]
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 11.2 hours per annum to collect and report this information.
Respondents: RTE establishments.
Estimated No. of Respondents: 2,129.
Estimated No. of Annual Responses per Respondent: 37,720.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 23,733 hours.
Copies of this information collection assessment can be obtained
from John O'Connell, Paperwork Reduction Act Coordinator, Food Safety
and Inspection Service, USDA, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Room 6065,
South Building, Washington, DC 20250, (202)720-0345.
Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of
information is necessary for the proper performance of FSIS's
functions, including whether the information will have practical
utility; (b) the accuracy of FSIS's 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, 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 FSIS, at the
addresses provided above, and the Desk Officer for Agriculture, Office
of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget,
Washington, DC 20253.
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.
USDA Statement of Non-Discrimination
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination
in all of its programs and activities on the basis of race, color,
national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs,
sexual orientation, and marital or family status. (Not all prohibited
bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require
alternative means for communication of program information (Braille,
large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA's Target Center at
202-720-2600 (voice and TTY).
To file a written complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Office
of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue,
SW., Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call 202-720-5964 (voice and TTY).
USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
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/
regulations/2010_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, and other types of information
that could affect or would be of interest to Agency constituents and
stakeholders. The Update is communicated via Listserv, a free e-mail
subscription service consisting of industry, trade, 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_&_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: July 30, 2010.
Alfred V. Almanza,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2010-19341 Filed 8-5-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-DM-P