[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 45 (Thursday, March 7, 2013)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 14635-14636]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-05342]
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Rules and Regulations
Federal Register
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This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains regulatory documents
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Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 45 / Thursday, March 7, 2013 / Rules
and Regulations
[[Page 14635]]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food Safety and Inspection Service
9 CFR Part 417
[Docket No. FSIS-2012-0007]
HACCP Plan Reassessment for Not-Ready-To-Eat Comminuted Poultry
Products and Related Agency Verification Procedures
AGENCY: Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of extension of comment period.
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SUMMARY: The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is extending the
comment period for the December 6, 2012, Federal Register document
``HACCP Plan Reassessment for Not-Ready-to-Eat Comminuted Poultry
Products and Related Agency Verification Procedures'' until April 20,
2013. FSIS will also provide an additional 45 days for establishments
that produce not-ready-to-eat (NRTE) comminuted chicken or turkey
products to reassess their Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points
(HACCP) plans for those products. FSIS will postpone by 45 days the
date inspection personnel will begin verifying that those
establishments have reassessed their HACCP plans. In addition, starting
approximately on April 20, 2013, the Agency intends to begin obtaining
samples to determine the prevalence of Salmonella in NRTE comminuted
poultry product announced in the document. The Agency is taking these
actions in response to a request made by a coalition of trade
associations.
DATES: The comment period for the document published December 6, 2012,
at 77 FR 72686, is extended. Comments are due by April 20, 2013.
ADDRESSES: FSIS invites interested persons to submit comments on this
document. 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 CD-ROMs: Send to Docket Clerk, U.S. Department of
Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service, Patriots Plaza 3, 1400
Independence Avenue SW., Mailstop 3782, Room 8-163A, Washington, DC
20250-3700.
Hand- or courier-delivered submittals: Deliver to Patriots Plaza 3,
355 E. Street SW., Room 8-163A, Washington, DC 20250-3700.
Instructions: All items submitted by mail or electronic mail must
include the Agency name and docket number FSIS-2012-0007. 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 to comments received,
go to the FSIS Docket Room at Patriots Plaza 3, 355 E. Street SW., Room
8-164, Washington, DC 20250-3700 between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.,
Monday through Friday.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rachel Edelstein, Assistant
Administrator, Office of Policy and Program Development, telephone:
(202) 205-0495, or by fax: (202) 720-2025.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
On December 6, 2012, FSIS published a document in the Federal
Register to inform establishments producing NRTE ground or otherwise
comminuted chicken and turkey products that they must reassess their
HACCP plans for these products to take into account several recent
Salmonella outbreaks associated with consumption of comminuted NRTE
turkey products (77 FR 72686). In the document, FSIS describes how it
will determine whether the association of NRTE meat or poultry product
with an illness outbreak would make subsequently-produced like product
adulterated. The Agency also announced the expansion of its Salmonella
verification sampling program to include all forms of non-breaded, non-
battered comminuted NRTE poultry product not destined for further
processing into ready-to-eat products. In addition, the document
announces that the Agency will begin sampling to determine the
prevalence of Salmonella in NRTE comminuted poultry and will use the
results from this sampling to develop performance standards for these
products. FSIS gave the public until March 6, 2013, to submit comments
on the document.
In a letter addressed to FSIS Administrator Alfred V. Almanza,
dated January 18, 2013, a coalition of trade associations stated that
additional time was needed to formulate meaningful comments.
FSIS will extend the comment period by an additional 45 days; the
comment period will now end on April 20, 2013. FSIS will also provide
an additional 45 days for establishments that produce NRTE comminuted
chicken or turkey products to reassess their HACCP plans for those
products. Recognize, however, that the December 6, 2012, document was
based on the Agency's determination that changes have occurred that
could affect establishments' hazard analysis or affect their HACCP
plan. As is explained in the Federal Register document, FSIS is
requiring the reassessments because of the outbreaks and recalls that
have occurred. Thus, the predicate for requiring reassessment under 9
CFR 417.4(a)(3) clearly exists. Therefore, establishments should use
this additional time to conduct a reassessment of their HACCP plans for
those products.
FSIS will postpone by 45 days--until April 20, 2013--the date
inspection personnel will begin verifying that those establishments
have reassessed their HACCP plans. In addition, starting approximately
on April 20, 2013, the Agency intends to begin obtaining samples to
determine the prevalence of Salmonella in NRTE comminuted poultry
announced in the Federal Register document. FSIS expects to use the
verification testing program as the means for obtaining samples and
will use the results from this sampling to develop performance
standards for these products.
FSIS will not further delay verifying that establishments have
reassessed their HACCP plans, nor will the Agency delay its sampling of
such comminuted
[[Page 14636]]
products. However, FSIS will not make any changes to the performance
standards for these products until FSIS has evaluated all comments
received and has analyzed the results of the new testing.
USDA Nondiscrimination Statement
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination
in all 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
FSIS will announce this document online through the FSIS Web page
located at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/regulations_&_policies/Federal_Register_Notices/index.asp.
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. In addition, FSIS offers an electronic 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: February 11, 2013.
Alfred V. Almanza,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2013-05342 Filed 3-6-13; 8:45 am]
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