 |
Food Safety and Inspection
Service United States Department of Agriculture Washington, D.C. 20250-3700 |
|
Food Safety and Inspection
Service United States Department of Agriculture Washington, D.C. 20250-3700 |
FSIS preliminary regulatory impact analysis (PRIA) of the Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) regulations, announced in January 2004, is available online. FSIS announced the three interim final rules to further protect the meat supply against risk material associated with BSE. Because of the emergency nature of the regulations, FSIS did not include analyses of costs and benefits or the effects of the rules on small business at the time of their release. FSIS is seeking public comment on this PRIA for a 30-day period. FSIS is also extending the comment period for the three interim final rules until May 7, 2004, so that the closing date of that comment period coincides with the closing date on the PRIA. Written comments should be sent to: FSIS Docket Clerk, Docket #03-025N, Room 102, Cotton Annex, 300 12th and C Street, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-3700. The BSE Regulatory impact analysis is available at: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OPPDE/rdad/FRPubs/Docs_03-025N.htm.
Small sample shipments intended for research or display at trade shows no longer must be presented to FSIS upon arrival in the United States, unless the sample originates from a country under animal health restrictions (e.g. pink juices test must be performed on cooked product from countries with foot-and-mouth or rinderpest). Samples exhibited for research or trade shows cannot be consumed by the public. These shipments will now be verified periodically by the Import Surveillance Liaison Inspectors (ISLIs) or OPEER. The required form (FSIS Form 9540-5) has been modified as well. The new procedures are available on the internet at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OPPDE/op/IIM/P4S9.htm. Questions can be directed to importinspection@fsis.usda.gov
The Subcommittee on Scientific Criteria for Redefining Pasteurization of the National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods (NACMCF) will hold public meetings April 27-29 and May 11, 2004. In addition, the NACMCF Subcommittee on Criteria for Refrigerated Shelf-life Based on Safety will hold public meetings May 11-14, 2004. Both subcommittees will meet at the Aerospace Building, 901 .D. St., SW, Room 369, Washington, DC.
If you would like to attend any of these meetings or need more information, please contact Karen Thomas, Advisory Committee Specialist, at 202-690-6620. Due to increased security measures at the Aerospace Building, all persons wishing to attend must RSVP in advance.
The Library of Export Requirements has been updated to reflect changes in export requirements for Barbados, Colombia, Mexico and Russia. Complete information can be found at: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OFO/export/explib.htm
H.C. Schau & Sons, Inc., a Woodridge, Ill., firm, voluntarily recalled approximately 135 pounds of fresh deli meat and cheese trays that may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. All of the recalled platters were produced on April 1, 2004 and shipped to retailers in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin. The problem was discovered through routine FSIS microbiological testing. FSIS has received no reports of illnesses associated with consumption of this product.
Home Market Foods, Inc., a Boston, Mass., establishment voluntarily recalled approximately 14,000 pounds of meatballs that may contain pieces of hard plastic. The products were produced on January 8, 2004 and were distributed to retail stores in Delaware, Louisiana, Maine, New Hampshire, New York, and Ohio. The company initiated the recall after receiving three consumer complaints. FSIS has received no reports of injury.
Members of the public can submit comments on proposed FSIS regulations, and have their views taken into account.
At http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OPPDE/rdad/publications.htm you can find and review Agency documents that are open for comment and published in the Federal Register. Each Federal register notice explains how to submit comments but in general there are two ways:
By Mail: One original and two copies must be submitted. This includes 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, 300 12th Street, SW., Room 102 Cotton Annex, Washington, DC 20250.
By E-mail: Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov
The FSIS Docket Room maintains administrative records, including public comments and relevant data, working memoranda and recommendations associated with regulatory issuances and manages public access to official records and files as required by the Administrative Procedures Act. All submitted comments will also be posted online under the FSIS Federal Register Dockets at: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OPPDE/rdad/FRDockets.htm.
The Program Evaluation and Improvement Staff (PEIS) of the Office of Program Evaluation, Enforcement and Review, FSIS, provides leadership and technical expertise to the Agency in all areas related to evaluation. PEIS also provides technical expertise and related services to all FSIS offices to facilitate data collection efforts, literature reviews and data searches, planning efforts, task force activities and both qualitative and quantitative data analysis. For more information on Program Evaluation and Improvement, please visit: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/oppde/peis.
*This section has been added to
remind readers of information available on the
FSIS web site.
Web links will vary from week-to-week.
FSIS Print and Multimedia Publications
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/oa/pubs/fsispubs.htm
FSIS Consumer Advisories and Alerts
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/oa/news/consalert.htm
Import
Equivalence and Reinspection Processes
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/oa/congress/equivreport.pdf
For Further Information Contact:
FSIS Constituent Affairs Program
Phone: (202) 720-9113
Fax: (202) 720-5704
E-mail:
LisaWallenda.Picard@fsis.usda.gov