Food Safety and Inspection Service 2014 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

In accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, this notice is announcing the renewal of the charter of the National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods (NACMCF). The Committee is being renewed in cooperation with the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). The establishment of the Committee was recommended by a 1985 report of the National Academy of Sciences Committee on Food Protection, Subcommittee on Microbiological Criteria, ``An Evaluation of the Role of Microbiological Criteria for Foods.'' The current charter for the NACMCF is available for viewing on the NACMCF homepage at https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/searchhelp/ sitemap/!ut/p/a1/rZLLbsIwEEW_hUWWlsfNg2RJI5FC1UQU2pJskPEjNUqc kFhV1a- vU4G6ohQp3oxHvj66M7q4wFtcaPqhSmpUo2k19EWwgxUEJIphmUVkDov0dZU9 xjEkT3dWkA- CC2cG1_6_4QIXTJvWvONc9qpHrNFGaOOAsrXTwt5qqrQDpmkV6x3g1FCrqirB BpeIao460Ta dsY-asprJcx3gLS0FF70q9U_HFMd5ILlwCeeIuq5AXhgJtOcBRb4MPElCT7pw svaH- 9A7Cy5Pn9v1TH8JyTMQWMzXG5L492RmCesbTV0BBmMD_bGB05GB2e07XP4j1O pwPBYzG80hj Z8Gb8fPZlu_1OFBtg9fG1nXuzRFdB-C61flZPIN_bauiQ!!/ ?1dmy¤t=true&urile=wcm%3apath%3a%2Ffsis- content%2Finternet%2Fmain%2Ftopics%2Fdata-collection-and- reports%2Fnacmcf%2Fcommittee-charter%2Fcharter.

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is announcing that the National Advisory Committee on Meat and Poultry Inspection (NACMPI) will hold a public meeting on January 13 and 14, 2015, to review and discuss FSIS's identification and management of chemical hazards within the National Residue Program (NRP). The NRP is an interagency program administered by FSIS that is designed to identify, rank, and test for chemical contaminants in meat, poultry, and egg products. FSIS is seeking input on whether or not it should change the way it categorizes chemical hazards and allocates resources. NACMPI will also review and discuss the Cost Calculation Model that FSIS developed with the Economic Research Service (ERS), which provides detailed data about the costs of major foodborne illnesses in the United States.

USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is proposing to add the Republic of Lithuania (Lithuania) to the list of countries eligible to export meat and meat products to the United States. FSIS's review of Lithuania's laws, regulations, and inspection implementation show that its meat inspection system requirements are equivalent to the Federal Meat Inspection Act (FMIA) and its implementing regulations. Under this proposal, meat from cattle, sheep, swine, and goats slaughtered in Lithuania, or parts or other products thereof, processed in certified Lithuanian establishments, would be eligible for export to the United States. All such products would be subject to reinspection at United States ports-of-entry by FSIS inspectors.

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is announcing that it has completed and is making available its analysis on the estimated costs and benefits associated with the implementation of its non-O157 STEC testing on beef manufacturing trimmings and the costs and benefits associated with the potential expansion of its non-O157 STEC testing to ground beef and ground beef components other than beef manufacturing trimmings. In addition, FSIS is responding to comments that it received on the previous cost benefits analysis.

This notice is announcing that the National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods (NACMCF) will hold a meeting of the full Committee by an audio conference call that is open to the public on November 17, 2014. The Committee will continue its discussions on (1) microbiological criteria as indicators of poor process control or insanitary conditions, and (2) control strategies for reducing foodborne transmission of Norovirus infections. After further discussion the committee plans to adopt its final recommendations.

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is amending its regulations to change the fees it charges for the accreditation and the maintenance of accreditation of non-Federal laboratories for the FSIS Accredited Lab Program (ALP). The fees in this final rule will be applied on the effective date.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Food Safety and Inspection Service's intention to reinstate an information collection associated with qualitative customer and stakeholder feedback on service delivery by the Food Safety and Inspection Service.

The Office of the Under Secretary for Food Safety, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Office of Nutrition, Labeling, and Dietary Supplements are sponsoring a public meeting on October 28, 2014. The objective of the public meeting is to provide information and receive public comments on agenda items and draft United States (U.S.) positions to be discussed at the 36th Session of the Codex Committee on Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses (CCNFSDU) of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CODEX), taking place in Bali, Indonesia November 24-28, 2014. The Under Secretary for Food Safety and the FDA recognize the importance of providing interested parties the opportunity to obtain background information on the 36th Session of the CCNFSDU and to address items on the agenda.

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 renew an information collection concerning its Web-based Public Health Information System (PHIS). There are no changes to the existing information collection except a revision to remove the FSIS Form 9540-1 for the import of meat and poultry products. This will result in a reduction in burden of 5,034 hours. The information collection burden incurred by FSIS Form 9540-1 will be covered under the Electronic Import Inspection information collection (0583-0127).

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is amending the poultry products inspection regulations to establish a new inspection system for young chicken and all turkey slaughter establishments. Young chicken and turkey slaughter establishments that do not choose to operate under the new poultry inspection system may continue to operate under their current inspection system. The Agency is also making several changes to the regulations that will affect all establishments that slaughter poultry other than ratites. This final rule is a result of the Agency's 2011 regulatory review efforts conducted under Executive Order 13563 on Improving Regulation and Regulatory Review.

The Office of the Under Secretary for Food Safety, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is sponsoring a public meeting on September 25, 2014. The objective of the public meeting is to provide information and receive public comments on agenda items and draft United States (U.S.) positions to be discussed at the 21st Session of the Codex Committee on Food Import and Export Inspection and Certification Systems (CCFICS) of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex), taking place in Australia, October 13-17, 2014. The Under Secretary for Food Safety recognizes the importance of providing interested parties the opportunity to obtain background information on the 21st Session of the CCFICS and to address items on the agenda.

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is announcing that it will implement new traceback procedures when FSIS or another Federal or State agency finds raw ground beef or bench trim presumptive positive for Escherichia coli O157:H7. FSIS is also announcing that it will begin requesting an establishment to recall product if an establishment was the sole supplier of beef manufacturing trimmings source materials for ground beef product that FSIS or another Federal or State agency finds positive for E. coli O157:H7, evidence suggests that the contamination most likely occurred at the supplier establishment, and a portion of the product from the originating source lot produced by the supplier establishment was sent to other establishments. FSIS is also clarifying circumstances when the Agency will ask suppliers of product used in bench trim to recall the product. FSIS is also announcing the availability of updated guidance documents. Finally, FSIS is responding to comments on the May 7, 2012, Federal Register notice, ``Changes to FSIS Traceback, Recall Procedures for Escherichia coli O157:H7 Positive Raw Beef Product, and Availability of final Compliance Guidelines''.

The Office of the Under Secretary for Food Safety, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), are sponsoring a public meeting on August 12, 2014. The objective of the public meeting is to provide information and receive public comments on agenda items and draft United States positions to be discussed at the 27th Session of the Codex Committee on Processed Fruits and Vegetables (CCPFV) of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex), taking place in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania from September 8- 12, 2014. The Under Secretary for Food Safety and the Agricultural Marketing Service recognize the importance of providing interested parties the opportunity to obtain background information on the 27th Session of CCPFV and to address items on the agenda.

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. 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, 2013, to May 31, 2014, and June 1, 2014, to May 31, 2015, seeks comments on standards under consideration and recommendations for new standards.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regulations, the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is announcing its intention to request a new information collection for a food safety education campaign.

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is responding to comments on an August 28, 2013, Federal Register document, ``Changes to Salmonella Verification Sampling Program: Analysis of Raw Beef for Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli and Salmonella'' and announcing its plans to begin analyzing for Salmonella all beef product it analyzes for Shiga toxin- producing Escherichia coli (STEC). After reviewing the comments received on the August 2013 document, FSIS is affirming the plans for addressing Salmonella in raw beef products that it announced in that document and will proceed with implementing those plans.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is soliciting nominations for membership on the National Advisory Committee on Meat and Poultry Inspection (NACMPI). The full Committee consists of not more than 20 members, and each person selected is expected to serve a 2-year term.

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is proposing to amend its regulations to change the fees it charges for the accreditation and the maintenance of accreditation of non-Federal laboratories for the FSIS Accredited Lab Program (ALP). Currently, the Agency charges a flat annual fee of $5,000 for each accreditation or maintenance of accreditation. Laboratories that participate in FSIS' ALP can receive accreditation in one to six analyte classes. FSIS is proposing to charge laboratories $5,000 per year for the first analyte class accreditation or maintenance (as it currently does), but to reduce the charges to $2,900 per year for the second, and $2,100 per year for each additional analyte class accreditation or maintenance of accreditation.

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is announcing the availability of guidance on allergens and other ingredients of public health concern that provides recommendations for identifying hazards when conducting a hazard analysis and to prevent and control hazards through hazard analysis and critical control point (HACCP) plans or Sanitation standard operating procedures (SOPs) or other prerequisite programs with respect to these substances. The emphasis of the guidelines is on meat and poultry products. The guidelines represent the best practice recommendations of FSIS, based on scientific and practical considerations. By following these guidelines, establishments are likely to ensure that product labels declare all ingredients, as required in the regulations, and that the product does not contain undeclared allergens or other undeclared ingredients.

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is responding to comments on a Federal Register notice, ``HACCP Plan Reassessment for Not-Ready-to-Eat (NRTE) Comminuted Poultry Products and Related Agency Verification Procedures,'' that it published on December 6, 2012. The notice provided updated information on the Agency's sampling and testing of these products, and on how it is verifying that establishments are effectively addressing the possible presence of Salmonella and Campylobacter in them.

The Office of the Under Secretary for Food Safety, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are sponsoring a public meeting to take place on April 10, 2014. 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 46th Session of the Codex Committee on Pesticide Residues (CCPR) of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex), which will take place in China from May 5-10, 2014. The Under Secretary for Food Safety and the EPA recognize the importance of providing interested parties the opportunity to obtain background information on the 46th session of CCPR and to address items on the agenda.

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is discontinuing the use of its 30-mL qualitative analysis for Campylobacter for young chickens. The Agency suspended this analysis on June 3, 2013. FSIS evaluated the available Campylobacter data, and its analysis suggested that the performance standard based on an analysis of the 1-mL sample volume is sufficiently sensitive to identify establishments whose process control is substandard. This is the only change that FSIS has made to its Campylobacter sampling program.

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 an extension of an approved information collection regarding nutrition labeling of the major cuts of single-ingredient raw meat or poultry products and ground or chopped meat and poultry products because the OMB approval will expire on April 30, 2014.

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 an extension of an approved information collection regarding the regulatory requirements associated with the production of meat from Advanced Meat Recovery systems because the OMB approval will expire on March 31, 2014.

The Office of the Under Secretary for Food Safety, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), are sponsoring a public meeting to take place on January 30, 2014. 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 18th Session of the Codex Committee on Fresh Fruits and Vegetables (CCFFV) of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex), taking place in Bangkok, Thailand, from February 24-28, 2014. The Acting Under Secretary for Food Safety and AMS recognize the importance of providing interested parties the opportunity to obtain background information on the 18th Session of CCFFV and to address items on the agenda.