Food Safety and Inspection Service 2009 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is issuing this supplemental proposed rule that, if finalized, will amend the Federal meat and poultry products inspection regulations to require nutrition labeling of the major cuts of single-ingredient, raw meat and poultry products, unless an exemption applies.

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 new information collection regarding the registration for a Food Safety Education Conference that will be held by FSIS and NSF International. FSIS plans to publish a public meeting notice about the conference closer to the date of the conference.

The Office of the Acting Under Secretary for Food Safety, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, are sponsoring a public meeting on October 28, 2009. The objective of the public meeting is to provide information and receive public comments on agenda items and draft U.S. positions that will be discussed at the 41st Session of the Codex Committee on Food Hygiene (CCFH) of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex), which will be held in San Diego, California, from November 16 through November 20, 2009. The Acting Under Secretary for Food Safety and FDA recognize the importance of providing interested parties the opportunity to obtain background

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is issuing this Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPR) to assist the Agency in defining the conditions under which it will permit the voluntary claim ``natural'' to be used in the labeling of meat and poultry products. After considering comments on the ``natural'' claim submitted by the public in response to a Federal Register notice that the Agency issued on December 5, 2006, and the comments presented at a public meeting held by the Agency on December 12, 2006, FSIS has decided to solicit additional public input. FSIS has concluded that a further solicitation of comments could produce information that would help to clarify and resolve the issues surrounding the ``natural'' claim. Moreover, additional comment will help FSIS to assess how best to coordinate its regulation of ``natural'' claims with the standards for voluntary marketing claims developed by the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), particularly with AMS's ``naturally raised'' marketing claim standard.

The Office of the Acting Under Secretary for Food Safety, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), Fruit and Vegetable Programs, USDA, are sponsoring a public meeting on September 17, 2009. The objective of the public meeting is to provide information and receive public comments on agenda items and draft United States positions that will be discussed at the 15th Session of the Codex Committee on Fresh Fruits and Vegetables (CCFFV) of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex). The Acting Under Secretary for Food Safety and AMS recognize the importance of providing interested parties the opportunity to obtain background information on

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is providing new information on, and re-proposing the definition and standard for, ``roaster'' and ``roasting chicken.'' FSIS proposed this definition and standard in its September 29, 2003, proposed rule to amend the definitions and standards for the official U.S. classes of poultry. After the proposed rule was published, FSIS received from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA's) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) new information that would affect the definition and standard for ``roaster'' or ``roasting chicken.'' FSIS has tentatively concluded that it should re-propose this definition and standard but no others in the proposed rule.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regulations, the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is announcing its intention to request a new information collection concerning the responses by official establishments and plants to noncompliance records.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regulations, the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is announcing its intention to request a new information collection concerning surveys of consumers to assess the effectiveness of the Be Food Safe campaign mass media advertising pilot.

This notice informs the public of the sanitary and phytosanitary standard-setting activities of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex), in accordance with section 491 of the Trade Agreements Act of 1979, as amended, and the Uruguay Round Agreements Act, Public Law 103-465, 108 Stat. 4809. This notice also provides a list of other standard-setting activities of Codex, including commodity standards, guidelines, codes of practice, and revised texts. This notice, which covers the time periods from June 1, 2008, to May 31, 2009, and June 1, 2009, to May 31, 2010, seeks comments on standards under consideration and recommendations for new standards.

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is amending its administrative regulations to add a new part that establishes regulations governing the submission to FSIS of petitions for rulemaking. The new regulations supersede existing guidance on the submission of petitions to FSIS to issue, amend, or repeal its regulations. FSIS is taking this action to help ensure the filing of well-supported petitions that contain information that the Agency needs to proceed with consideration of the requested rulemaking in a timely manner.

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is announcing new dollar limitations on the amount of meat, meat food products, poultry, and poultry products that a retail store can sell to hotels, restaurants, and similar institutions without disqualifying itself for exemption from Federal inspection requirements. In accordance with FSIS' regulations, for calendar year 2009, the dollar limitation is increased for meat and meat food products from $56,900 to $60,200 and for poultry products from $46,700 to $49,400. FSIS is changing the dollar limitations from calendar year 2008 based on price changes for these products evidenced by the Consumer Price Index.

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is amending the Federal meat inspection regulations to require that all cattle that are non-ambulatory disabled at an official establishment, including those that become non-ambulatory disabled after passing ante-mortem inspection, be condemned and disposed of properly. In addition, this rule requires that establishments notify FSIS inspection personnel when cattle become non-ambulatory disabled after passing ante-mortem inspection. FSIS is taking this action to better ensure effective implementation of inspection and humane handling requirements at official establishments.

This notice announces that the National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods (NACMCF) will hold public meetings of the full Committee and subcommittees on March 16-20, 2009. The Committee will discuss: (1) Determination of the most appropriate technologies for the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) to adopt in performing routine and baseline microbiological analyses, and (2) Parameters for inoculated-pack challenge study protocols.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regulations, the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is announcing its intention to request a new information collection concerning the use of focus groups to obtain information from consumers on various food safety issues to support Agency decision-making and policy formulation.