[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 75 (Wednesday, April 19, 1995)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 19543-19544]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-9613]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food Safety and Inspection Service
9 CFR Parts 308, 310, 318, 320, 325, 326, 327, and 381
[Docket No. 95-014N]
Pathogen Reduction; Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point
(HACCP) Systems--Notice of Scientific/Technical Conference
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, ``An Evaluation of the Role of
Microbiological Criteria in Establishing Food Safety Performance
Standards in Meat and Poultry Products,'' on May 18-19, 1995, at the
Georgetown University Conference Center, 3800 Reservoir Road,
Washington, DC. The purpose of the conference is to explore scientific
issues related to [[Page 19544]] microbiological criteria in
establishing meat and poultry products safety performance standards.
DATES: May 18-19, 1995.
ADDRESSES: Georgetown University Conference Center, 3800 Reservoir
Road, Washington, DC.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Robert Brewer, Staff Officer,
Epidemiology and Emergency Response Program, FSIS, USDA, (202) 205-
0293.
To register to attend, call Ms. Becky LaQuay or Ms. Pat Baker at
(202) 205-0293.
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 are 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 interested parties to foster the
development of beneficial new food safety technologies. Therefore, FSIS
is holding a scientific/technical conference to explore the use of
microbiological criteria for developing food safety performance
standards for meat and poultry products.
The conference, ``An Evaluation of the Role of Microbiological
Criteria in Establishing Food Safety Performance Standards in Meat and
Poultry Products,'' will be held on May 18-19, 1995, at the Georgetown
University Conference Center, 3800 Reservoir Road, Washington, DC 20057
(202) 687-3200. The conference will begin each day at 8:00 a.m. and end
at 5:30 p.m.
Conference Agenda
The conference will consist of four sessions, as follows:
Session I: ``Review of the Green Book, `An Evaluation of the Role of
Microbiological Criteria for Foods and Food Ingredients'''
Several members who served on the Subcommittee on Microbiological
Criteria for Foods and Food Ingredients will present papers reviewing
the Green Book's concepts and recommendations applicable to meat and
poultry products.
Session II: ``Current Food Safety Issues and Logic for Using Microbial-
based Performance Standards''
Invited speakers will review current food safety issues, including
emerging pathogens, and the logic for microbial-based standards
(criteria or targets) as a verification of HACCP systems.
Session III: ``Basis for Establishing Criteria for Food Safety
Performance Standards''
Invited speakers will discuss the basis for setting criteria (i.e.
public health-based standards versus technology-based standards) and
data needs for developing meaningful performance standards, such as
sentinel-site surveillance.
Session IV: ``Synopsis of Conference Proceedings''
Panel members will summarize major issues and points of the
proceedings. The public will be provided an opportunity to make
comments and ask questions.
Dr. J. Glenn Morris, Jr., Director, Epidemiology and Emergency
Response Program, FSIS will moderate and be joined by a panel
consisting of: Dr. Douglas Archer, Department of Food Science and Human
Nutrition, University of Florida; Dr. Robert Black, Department of
International Health, Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public
Health; Dr. Sherwood Gorbach, Community Health and Medicine, Tufts
University School of Medicine; and Dr. Morris Potter, Center for
Disease Control and Prevention, Division Bacterial and Mycotic
Diseases.
A report will be prepared that summarizes the conference's
processing. This report will include general conclusions on the use of
microbiological criteria for developing food safety performance
standards for meat and poultry products. The report and transcripts of
the conference will be available in the FSIS Docket Clerk's Office,
Room 4352, South Agriculture Building, Food Safety and Inspection
Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC 20250.
Attendance and Hotel Reservations
Seating space at the conference is limited. Please call Ms. Becky
LaQuay or Ms. Pat Baker if you wish to attend the conference (see FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT). People attending the conference will be
responsible for making their own hotel arrangements. A limited number
of rooms are available at the Georgetown University Conference Center.
To make reservations call 1-800-446-9476.
Done at Washington, DC, on: April 12, 1995.
Michael R. Taylor,
Acting Under Secretary for Food Safety.
[FR Doc. 95-9613 Filed 4-18-95; 8:45 am]
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