About the Committee

The National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods (NACMCF) provides impartial scientific advice to federal agencies to use in developing integrated food safety systems from farm to table and to ensure food safety in domestic and imported foods.

The NACMCF was established in 1988, under Departmental Regulation 1043-28, in response to the recommendations of two external organizations. The National Academy of Sciences recommended an interagency approach to microbiological criteria, since various federal, State, and local agencies are responsible for food safety. Also, the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations made a similar recommendation in the Rural Development, Agriculture, and Related Agencies Appropriation Bill for fiscal year 1988.

The NACMCF provides scientific advice and recommendations to the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS). The Committee covers public health issues relative to the safety and wholesomeness of the U.S. food supply, including development of microbiological criteria and review and evaluation of epidemiological and risk assessment data and methodologies for assessing microbiological hazards in foods.

The food safety programs of the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) and the U.S. Department of HHS Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are strengthened through NACMCF recommendations. The programs of other federal agencies concerned with food safety, including the Department of HHS Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Department of Commerce, National Marine Fisheries Service, and the Department of Defense (DoD), Veterinary Services Activity also benefit from NACMCF work.

The NACMCF charter was approved on September 24, 2010.

The activities of the NACMCF are carried out, in part, by subcommittees that are focused on specific areas being considered by the full Committee. The NACMCF has made important contributions to a broad range of critical food safety issues. The NACMCF has developed reference documents emphasizing the role of regulatory agencies, industry, and consumers to control specific foodborne pathogens. The NACMCF was instrumental in formulating and standardizing the principles of hazard analysis and critical control point (HACCP) systems. NACMCF reports provide current information and scientific advice to federal food safety agencies and serve as a foundation for regulations and programs aimed at reducing foodborne disease and enhancing public health.

Recently completed projects include the following final reports:

• "Response to Questions Posed by the Food Safety and Inspection Service Regarding Determination of the most Appropriate Technologies for the Food Safety and Inspection Service to Adopt in Performing Routine and Baseline Microbiological Analyses",
• "Parameters for Inoculated Pack/Challenge Study Protocols", and
• "Assessment of the Food Safety Importance of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis."

New planned subcommittee work areas include:

• the study of microbiological criteria as indicators of process control or insanitary conditions, and
• control strategies for reducing foodborne norovirus infections.

For an overview of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, go to http://www.gsa.gov/committeemanagement

1. Committee's Official Designation
   The Committee shall be known as the National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods (NACMCF), hereafter referred to as the Committee or the NACMCF.
    
2. Authority
   The NACMCF is a discretionary advisory committee that was established in 1988, under the United States Departmental of Agriculture's Departmental Regulations 1043-28, by the Secretary of Agriculture, and after consulting with the Secretary of Department of Health and Human Services. The NACMCF was also established and operates in accordance with the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), as amended, 5 U.S.C. Appendix 2. The Committee is in the public interest in connection with the responsibilities of the United States Department of Agriculture.
    
3. Objectives and Scope of Activities
   The purpose of the Committee is to provide impartial, scientific advice, and/or peer reviews to federal food safety agencies for use m the development of an integrated national food safety systems approach that assures the safety of domestic, imported, and exported foods.
    
4. Description of Duties
   The duties of the Committee are solely advisory in nature.
    
5. Agency or Official to Whom the Committee Reports
   The Committee reports to the Secretary of Agriculture through the Under Secretary for Food Safety, and to the Secretary of Health and Human Services through the Assistant Secretary for Health.
    
6. Support
   The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), Office of Public Health Science provides administrative support to the Committee.
    
7. Estimated Annual Operating Costs and Staff Years
   The total estimated annual fiscal year operating cost for the Committee is $150,000 with an equivalent of 0.4 full time employees (FTEs). Committee Members' shall receive reimbursement for travel-related expenses in performance of their duties away from their homes or regular places of business, including per diem for attendance at Committee and subcommittee meetings, as authorized by 5 U.S.C. 5703.
    
8. Designated Federal Officer
   A full-time or permanent part-time Federal employee from FSIS is appointed in accordance with agency procedures and serves as the Designated Federal Officer (DFO). The DFO approves the Committee's and subcommittees' meetings, prepares and approves all meeting agendas, participates in all committee and subcommittee meetings, adjourns any meeting when the DFO determines adjournment to be in the public interest, and chairs meetings when directed to do so by the Secretary of Agriculture.
    
9. Estimated Number and Frequency of Meetings
   The Committee will meet approximately twice a year. All meetings are open to the public.
    
10. Duration
    Continuing.
     
11. Termination
    The Committee shall terminate two years from the date this charter is filed, unless the Secretary of Agriculture determines prior to that date that continuation of work is not in the public interest. No Committee work will be done without a current filed charter in accordance with FACA.
     
12. Membership and Designation
    1. This Committee will be fairly balanced in its membership in terms of the points of view represented and the functions to be performed. Steps will be taken to encourage fresh points of view, such as establishing staggered membership terms and limiting the number of renewed memberships.
       
       Committee members serve 2-year terms that can be renewed for one additional term. Former members are eligible for repeat service after one term of non-service. Federal employee members will are not be subject to term limits. 
       
       Terms will be staggered so that the Committee is composed of a mix of renewed and new members. This mix ensures continuity of work that is in progress. Term limits result in turnover of membership and new perspectives, which affects the balance of a Federal advisory committee. 
        
    2. The Secretary of Agriculture will appoint the membership of the Committee after consultation with the Secretary of Health and Human Services and, as appropriate, with other federal agencies. The Secretary may consult with other Federal Agencies such as the Department of Commerce's National Marine Fisheries Service, the Department of Defense's Defense Logistics Agency, and the Department of Health and Human Services' Centers for Disease Control and Prevention regarding appointments.
       
       Membership will consist of not more than 30 individuals. Members of the Committee will be chosen based on their expertise in microbiology, risk assessment, epidemiology, public health, food science, and other relevant disciplines. Non-Federal Government employee members will be appointed as Special Government Employees (SGEs). One individual affiliated with a consumer group will be included in the membership of the Committee to serve in a representational capacity. Members will serve at the discretion of the Secretary of Agriculture. 
        
    3. The Secretary of Agriculture or designee will appoint the NACMCF Chairperson, who is recognized for his or her ability to lead a group in a fair and focused manner, and who has been briefed on the mission of this Committee. The Secretary of Agriculture or designee will assign the Committee Vice-chairperson after consultation with the Secretary of Health and Human Services.
       
        
    4. Ethics Statement
       To maintain the highest levels of honesty, integrity and ethical conduct, no Committee or subcommittee member shall participate in any "particular matter involving specific parties". These are narrowly focused and typically involve specific transactions between identified parties, such as a lease, license, permit, contract, claim, grant, agreement, or related litigation with the Department, in which the member has a direct financial interest. This includes the requirement for Committee or Subcommittee members to disclose immediately to the DFO any specific party matter in which the member's immediate family, relatives, business partners, or employer would be directly seeking to benefit financially from the Committee's recommendations. 
       
       All members will receive ethics training to identify and avoid any actions that would cause the public to question the integrity of the Committee's advice and recommendations. Members who are appointed as "Representatives" are not subject to Federal ethics laws because such appointment allows them to represent the point of view of a particular group, business sector, or segment of the public. 
       
       Members appointed as "Special Government Employees" (SGEs) are considered intermittent Federal employees and are subject to Federal ethics laws. SGEs are appointed due to their personal knowledge, academic scholarship, background, or expertise. No SGEs may participate in any activity in which the member has a prohibited financial interest. Appointees who are SGEs are required to complete and submit a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE-450 form); upon request, USDA will assist SGEs in preparing these financial reports. To ensure the highest level of compliance with applicable ethical standards, USDA will provide ethics training to SGEs on an annual basis. The provisions of these paragraphs are not meant to cover all Federal ethics laws exhaustively and do not affect any other statutory or regulatory obligations to which advisory committee members are subject. 
        
    5. Equal Opportunity Statement
       Equal opportunity practices, in line with USDA policies, will be followed in all membership appointments to the Committee. To ensure that the recommendations of the Committee have taken into account the needs of the diverse groups served by the Department, membership shall include, to the extent practicable, individuals with demonstrated ability to represent minorities, women, and persons with disabilities. 
       
       The USDA prohibits discrimination in all of its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity (including gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, political beliefs, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). 
        
13. Subcommittees
    FSIS has the authority to create subcommittees. Subcommittees must report back to the parent committee, and must not provide advice or work products directly to the Agency or Secretary.
     
14. Recordkeeping
    The records of this Committee, formally and informally established subcommittees, or other subgroups of the Committee, shall be handled in accordance with General Records Schedule (ORS) 6.2 or other approved agency records disposition schedule. These records shall be available for public inspection and copying, subject to the Freedom of Information Act, 5 U.S.C. 552. Information about this Committee is available online at: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/nacmcf  
     
15. Filing Date
    January 29, 2020

Mr. John J. Jarosh
Designated Federal Officer, NACMCF
Office of Public Health Science, FSIS
Patriots Plaza III, 355 E Street SW,
MS 3766 Rm 9-180
Washington, D.C. 20250
Phone: (202) 690-6128
Email: nacmcf.@usda.gov

Members

Dr. Joseph (Stan) Bailey
bioMérieux
Marcy l'Etoile, France

Dr. Peggy Cook
Neogen Corporation
Lansing, MI

Dr. DeAnn Davis
Western Growers
Irvine, CA

Dr. James Dickson
Iowa State University
Ames, IA

Dr. Francisco Diez-Gonzalez
University of Georgia
Griffin, GA

Dr. Joseph Eifert
Virginia Tech
Blacksburg, VA

Dr. Philip Elliott
Kellogg Company
Battle Creek, MI

Dr. Yaohua (Betty) Feng
Purdue University
West Lafyette, IN

Dr. Kathleen Glass
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Madison, WI

Ms. Janell Kause
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Food Safety and Inspection Service
Washington, DC   

Dr. Andreas Keller
Food and Drug Administration
Center for Food Safety & Applied Nutrition
College Park, MD

Dr. Mahipal Kunduru
Topco Associates LLC
Elk Grove village, IL

Dr. Elisabetta Lambertini
Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition
Washington, DC

Ms. Patty Lewandowski
Florida Department of Health
Tallahassee, FL

Ms. Shannara Lynn
U.S. Department of Commerce
National Seafood Inspection Laboratory
Pascagoula, MS  

Dr. Wendy McMahon
Silliker, Inc.
Crete, IL

Lt. Col. Audrey McMillan-Cole, DVM
Department of Defense
U.S. Army Veterinary Corps
Kleber Kaserne, Germany

Dr. Angela Melton-Celsa
Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences
Bethesda, MD

Ms. Joelle Mosso
Eurofins
Bothell, WA

Dr. Haley Oliver
Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN 

Dr. Omar Oyarzabal
Safe Food Team, LLC
South Burlington, VT

Dr. Tanya Roberts
Center for Foodborne Illness Research and Prevention
Columbus, OH

Dr. Scott Stillwell
Stillwell Consultative Services, LLC
Springdale, AR 

Dr. Robert Tauxe
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Atlanta, GA

Dr. Max Teplitski
Produce Marketing Association
Newark, DE

Dr. Valentina Trinetta
Kansas State University
Manhattan, KS

Dr. Bing Wang
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Lincoln, NE

Dr. Randy W. Worobo
Cornell University
Ithaca, NY

Dr. Teshome Yehualaeshet
Tuskegee University
Tuskegee, AL

Dr. Francisco Zagmutt
EpiX Analytics, LLC
Fort Collins, CO

Prospective members must complete Form AD-755, Advisory Committee Membership Background Information, and submit to a background investigation and review of their qualifications.

• Download the form

CHAIR

Sandra Eskin
Deputy Under Secretary
Office of Food Safety
United States Department of Agriculture

VICE-CHAIR

Susan T. Mayne, Ph.D.
Director, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition
Food and Drug Administration
5100 Paint Branch Parkway, MD  20740
Room 4B-064, HFS-1
College Park, MD  20740
Phone: 240-402-1600
Fax: 301-436-2668
Email:  Susan.mayne@fda.hhs.gov

FSIS LIAISON

Denise Eblen, Ph.D.
Assistant Administrator
Office of Public Health Science 
Food Safety and Inspection Service 
1400 Independence Ave., SW Rm 341E
Washington, DC  20250
Phone: 202-819-6351
Email: denise.eblen@usda.gov

FDA LIAISON

Vincent Bunning, Ph.D.
Director
FDA/CFSAN/Office of Regulatory
Science (HFS-700)
5100 Campus Drive
College Park, MD 20740
Phone: 240 402-2404
Email: Vincent.Bunning @fda.hhs.gov

CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION LIAISON

Arthur P. Liang, M.D., M.P.H.
Senior Advisor for Food Safety
CDC/ DFWED Mailstop A-38
1600 Clifton Road
Atlanta, GA  30333
Phone:404 639-2237
Fax: 404 639-3359
Email: aliang@cdc.gov

COMMERCE DEPARTMENT LIAISON

Jon W. Bell, Ph.D. 
National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration
National Marine Fisheries Service
3209 Frederic Street
Pascagoula, MS  39567
Phone: 228-549-1708
Fax: 228-762-7144
Email: jon.bell@noaa.gov

DEFENSE DEPARTMENT LIASON

Margery Hanfelt, DVM, MS, MSS, DACVPM
Colonel, US Army
Deputy Corps Chief, Veterinary Corps
HQDA Office of the Surgeon General
Falls Church, VA 22042
Phone: 703-681-3057
​Email: margery.m.hanfelt.mil@mail.mil

EXECUTIVE SECRETARIAT

John Jarosh
Designated Federal Officer 
Office of Public Health Science, FSIS
Patriots Plaza 3
9th Floor 9-180
1400 Independence Ave SW
Washington D.C. 20250
Phone: 202-690-6128
Email: nacmcf.@usda.gov

The U.S. General Services Administration provides this overview of the FACA and links to the FACA database used frequently by Congress and the Executive Branch.

• The Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA)

Questions, comments, and correspondence for NACMCF Members should be sent through the Executive Secretariat Office:

John J. Jarosh
Designated Federal Officer, NACMCF
Office of Public Health Science, FSIS
Patriots Plaza III, 355 E Street SW,
MS 3766 Rm 9-180
Washington, D.C. 20250
Phone: (202) 690-6128
Email: john.jarosh@usda.gov