E7-11141. Request for Notification From Industry Organizations Interested in Participating in Selection Process for Nonvoting Industry Representatives on Food Safety Public Advisory Committee and Request for Nominations for Nonvoting Industry ...

AGENCY:

Food and Drug Administration, HHS.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is requesting that any industry organizations interested in participating in the selection of nonvoting industry representatives to serve on its Food Advisory Committee for the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN) notify FDA in writing. A nominee may either be self-nominated or nominated by an organization to serve as a nonvoting industry representative. Nominations will be accepted for current vacancies effective with this notice.

DATES:

Any industry organization interested in participating in the selection of an appropriate nonvoting member to represent industry interests must send a letter stating that interest to the FDA by July 11, 2007, for vacancies listed in this notice. Concurrently, nomination materials for prospective candidates should be sent to FDA by July 11, 2007.

ADDRESSES:

All letters of interest and nominations should be submitted in writing to Carolyn Jeletic (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Carolyn Jeletic, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition; Office of Regulations, Policy, and Social Sciences (HFS-24); Food and Drug Administration, 5100 Paint Branch Pkwy., College Park, MD 20740; 301-436-1719; [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The agency intends to add nonvoting industry representative to its advisory committee identified below:

I. CFSAN Food Advisory Committee

The Committee shall provide advice primarily to Commissioner of Food and Drugs and other appropriate officials, on emerging food safety, food science, nutrition, and other food-related health issues that the FDA considers of primary importance for its food and cosmetics programs. The Committee may be charged with reviewing and evaluating available data and making recommendations on the following matters, such as those relating to: (1) Broad scientific and technical food or cosmetic related issues, (2) the safety of new foods and food ingredients, (3) labeling of foods and cosmetics, (4) nutrient needs and nutritional adequacy, and (5) safe exposure limits for food contaminants. The Committee may also be asked to provide advice and make recommendations on ways of communicating to the public the potential risks associated with these issues and on approaches that might be considered for addressing the issues.

II. Selection Procedure

Any industry organization interested in participating in the selection of an appropriate nonvoting member to represent industry interests should send a letter stating that interest to the FDA contact (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT) within 30 days of publication of this document. Within the subsequent 30 days, FDA will send a letter to each organization that has expressed an interest, attaching a complete list of all such organizations; and a list of all nominees along with their current resumes. The letter will also state that it is the responsibility of the interested organizations to confer with one another and to select a candidate, within 60 days after the receipt of the FDA letter, to serve as the nonvoting member to represent industry interests for a particular committee. The interested organizations are not bound by the list of nominees in selecting a candidate. However, if no individual is selected within 60 days, the Commissioner of Food and Drugs will select the nonvoting member to represent industry interests.

III. Application Procedure

Individuals may self nominate and/or an organization may nominate on one or more individuals to serve as a nonvoting industry representative. A current curriculum vitae and the name of the committee of interest should be sent to the FDA contact person within the 30 days. FDA will forward all nominations to the organizations expressing interest in participating in the selection process for the committee. (Persons who nominate themselves as nonvoting industry representatives will not participate in the selection process).

FDA has a special interest in ensuring that women, minority groups, individuals with physical disabilities, and small businesses are adequately represented on its advisory committees, and therefore, encourages, nominations for appropriately qualified candidates from these groups. Specifically, in this document, nominations for nonvoting representatives of industry interests are encouraged from the food production and manufacturing industry, the dietary supplement manufacturing industry, the agricultural biotechnology manufacturing industry.

This notice is issued under the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. app. 2) and 21 CFR part 14, relating to advisory committees.

Dated: June 4, 2007.

Randall W. Lutter,

Associate Commissioner for Policy and Planning.