[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 111 (Tuesday, June 10, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31611-31612]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-15012]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Food and Drug Administration
Retail Food Program Standards; Notice of Grassroots Meetings
AGENCY: Food and Drug Administration, HHS.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is announcing that it
is sponsoring six grassroots meetings with the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC) and the United States Department of
Agriculture (USDA). The topics of the meetings involve identification
and discussion of factors considered central to the operation of
effective retail food control programs.
[[Page 31612]]
DATES: See Table 1 in the ``SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION'' section of this
document.
ADDRESSES: See Table 1 in the ``SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION'' section of
this document.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Robert H. Brands, Office of
Regulatory Affairs, Division of Federal State Relations (HFC-150), Food
and Drug Administration, 5600 Fishers Lane, rm. 12-07, Rockville, MD
20857, 301-827-2908 or FAX 301-443-2143.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services, through FDA and CDC, and USDA, through the Food Safety
Inspection Service, will convene six 1-day public meetings to discuss
the development of national program standards for State and local
retail food protection programs.
Each meeting will feature a general session at which Federal retail
food safety goals, including FDA's retail food protection strategic
goals and the President's Food Safety Initiative, will be presented.
There will be three concurrent breakout sessions in the morning and
three concurrent breakout sessions in the afternoon. Participants will
be asked to discuss and provide input on factors considered central to
retail food programs.
The morning breakout sessions will address the following: (1)
Regulation equivalency--discussions will concern factors considered
essential to provide adequate systems of control and coverage based on
the Food Code; (2) trained inspection staff--discussions will concern
the development of a national model retail food training curriculum;
and (3) program resources--discussions will concern the determination
of adequate levels of staffing and significant factors influencing
successful application of necessary controls.
The afternoon breakout sessions will address the following: (1)
Elements of a Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP)-based
inspection program--discussions will concern application of HACCP
principles in retail food inspection and followup activities; (2)
enforcement, compliance/program assessment and recognition--discussions
will concern the identification of those elements that support a
successful compliance and enforcement program. The possible benefits of
program recognition in regard to meeting or exceeding minimum standards
will also be explored; and (3) foodborne illness response systems--
discussions will concern the program elements necessary to effectively
identify and investigate consumer complaints of foodborne illness.
To facilitate meaningful discussions, the meetings will be limited
to 75 participants. Preregistration for the meeting is required. An
information packet will be available to the public. All comments will
be considered and used to develop a summary from each of the regional
meetings.
Summaries of the regional meeting will be provided to all
registered participants. The public may request copies of these
summaries by submitting a written request to the Freedom of Information
Office (HFI-35), Food and Drug Administration, 5600 Fishers Lane, rm.
12A-16, Rockville, MD 20857.
Specific Information Regarding Each of the Meetings
FDA, CDC, and USDA desire a wide range of participants including,
but not limited to local, State, and tribal regulatory officials;
industry representatives; academicians; and consumers.
Participants will be limited at each of the meeting sites to 75.
Preregistration as specified in the following list of sites is required
because seating is limited. Persons interested in attending should
telephone their name, organization, address, and telephone number to
the FDA contact person listed in Table 1.
Table 1
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Meeting Address Date and Local Time FDA Contact Person
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ATLANTA: Wyndham Hotel June 26, 1997, Thursday Nan Kelemen, 404-347-
Midtown, 125 10th St. 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., 3576, ext. 5247
NE., Atlanta, GA register by Monday,
June 23, 1997
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DALLAS: Wilson World July 22, 1997, Tuesday Derrick Fountain, 214-
Hotel/DFW Airport 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., 655-8100, ext. 156
South, 4600 Airport register by Tuesday,
Fwy., Irving, TX July 15, 1997
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PITTSBURGH: Holiday August 14, 1997, Kim Crayton, 215-597-
Inn--Greentree, 401 Thursday 8 a.m. to 4390
Holiday Dr., 5:30 p.m., register by
Pittsburgh, PA Thursday, August 7,
1997
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PORTLAND: DoubleTree August 19, 1997, Linda Carota, 617-279-
Hotel, 1230 Congress Tuesday 8 a.m. to 5:30 1675, ext. 165
St., Portland, ME p.m., register by
Tuesday, August 12,
1997
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PORTLAND: Portland August 21, 1997, Carolyn Swanson, 206-
State Office Bldg., Thursday 8 a.m. to 553-7001, ext. 26
800 NE. Oregon, rm. 5:30 p.m., register by
120C, Portland, OR Friday, August 15,
1997
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CHICAGO: American August 27, 1997, John Powell, 312-353-
Management Wednesday 8 a.m. to 9400, ext. 17
Association, 8655 West 5:30 p.m., register by
Higgins Rd., rm. 201, Wednesday, August 20,
Chicago, IL 1997
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Dated: June 2, 1997.
William K. Hubbard,
Associate Commissioner for Policy Coordination.
[FR Doc. 97-15012 Filed 6-9-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-01-F