[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 57 (Friday, March 24, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15533-15534]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-7334]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food Safety and Inspection Service
[Docket No. 95-010N]
Pathogen Reduction; Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point
(HACCP) Systems; Notice of Scientific/Technical Conference and Request
for Papers
AGENCY: Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) will hold a
scientific/technical conference, ``Role of Microbiological Testing in
Verifying Food Safety,'' on May 1-2, 1995, at the Holiday Inn
Independence Mall, 4th and Arch Streets, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
The purpose of the conference is to explore scientific issues related
to microbiological testing for verifying the safety of meat and
poultry.
ADDRESSES: Papers should be to sent to: Dr. Robert L. Buchanan, Deputy
Administrator, Science and Technology, FSIS, USDA, Room 402 Cotton
Annex, 14th and Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20250.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For technical information, contact Dr.
Jennifer Johnson, Microbiologist, Microbiology Division, Science and
Technology, FSIS, USDA, Building 322, Barc-East, Beltsville, MD 20705.
(301) 504-8792. To register to attend the conference, call Ms. Mary
Gioglio (202) 501-7244.
For hotel reservations, call the Holiday Inn Independence Mall at
(215) 923-8660.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On February 3, 1995, FSIS published a
proposed rule ``Pathogen Reduction; Hazard Analysis and Critical
Control Point (HACCP) Systems'' (60 FR 6774). In that document, the
Agency proposed a number of regulatory changes applicable to Federal-
and State-inspected meat and poultry establishments. The proposed
changes were designed to reduce the occurrence and numbers of
pathogenic microorganisms in meat and poultry products, thereby
reducing the incidence of foodborne illness associated with the
consumption of these products.
In the proposed rule, FSIS stated that public meetings would be
held with the regulated industry and all interested parties to foster
the development of beneficial new food safety technologies. FSIS is
interested in improving food safety through the use of microbiological
testing.
FSIS is aware that any biological characteristic is subject to
natural variation. An understanding of the factors influencing
variability, particularly relating to collecting samples, must be an
integral part of microbiological analyses. FSIS is seeking information
on different microbiological testing verification protocols that may
assure safer meat and poultry products and, therefore, is hosting a
scientific/technical conference.
The conference, ``Role of Microbiological Testing in Verifying Food
Safety'' will be held on May 1-2, 1995, at the Holiday Inn Independence
Mall, 4th and Arch Streets, Philadelphia, PA 19106 (215) 923-8660. The
conference will begin each day at 8:30 a.m. and end at 4:30 p.m. on May
1; at 2:00 p.m. on May 2.
Conference Agenda
The conference will consist of three sessions as follows:
Session I: Invited speakers from government agencies, industry, and
academia will discuss the use and limitations of microbiological
testing for assuring food safety.
Session II: Presentation of papers on the role of microbiological
testing in assuring food safety (see Submission of Papers).
Session III: The general public attending the conference, on a
first-come basis, will have up to five minutes per person to comment on
the conference proceedings.
Dr. Robert L. Buchanan, Deputy Administrator, Science and
Technology, FSIS will moderate and be joined by a panel consisting of:
Dr. Ann Marie McNamara, Director, Microbiology Division, Science and
Technology, FSIS; Dr. E. M. Foster, University of Wisconsin; Dr. Bruce
Tompkin, Armour Swift Echrich; Dr. Myron Solberg, Rutgers University;
Dr. Katherine Swanson, Pillsbury Company; and Dr. Margarite Neill,
Brown University. The panel will summarize the presentations and
prepare a report of the proceedings. This report will include general
[[Page 15534]] conclusions on the development of microbiological
testing for verifying the safety of meat and poultry products. The
panel's report, transcripts of the conference, and copies of all the
papers submitted to FSIS will be available in the FSIS Docket Clerk's
Office, Room 3171, South Agriculture Building, Food Safety and
Inspection Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC
20250.
Submission of Papers
Interested persons may submit a paper to FSIS for Session II.
Papers should present information about microbiological testing for
assuring food safety with emphasis on the concepts and methods outlined
in the proposed rule ``Pathogen Reduction; Hazard Analysis and Critical
Control Point (HACCP).'' Up to 12 papers will be selected for
presentation during Session II. Presenters will be allotted 10 to 15
minutes. All papers will be included in the proceedings of the
conference regardless of whether they were selected for presentation.
The papers must be received by April 14, 1995, to be considered for
the conference. Two copies of each paper should be submitted (See
ADDRESSES), with hard copies of any slides to be used in the
presentation.
Attendance and Hotel Reservations
Please call Ms. Mary Gioglio by April 5, 1995, (see FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT) if you plan to attend the conference. FSIS has
reserved a block of rooms at the hotel for $85 per night. Reservations
may be made by contacting the hotel (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
CONTACT).
Done at Washington, DC, on: March 20, 1995.
Michael R. Taylor
Acting Under Secretary for Food Safety.
[FR Doc. 95-7334 Filed 3-23-95; 8:45 am]
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