. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/SPS/N/USA/385
24 January 2001
(01-0380)
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Original:  English
NOTIFICATION
1. Member to Agreement notifying:  UNITED STATES
If applicable, name of local government involved:           
2. Agency responsible:  Food and Drug Administration – FDA and Food Safety and
Inspection Service, USDA
3. Products covered (provide tariff item number(s) as specified in national schedules
deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where
applicable).  Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or
practicable:  Ready-to-eat foods
4. Title and number of pages of the notified document:  Relative Risk to Public Health
from Foodborne Listeria Monocytogenes among Selected Categories of Ready-to-Eat
Foods; Draft Risk Assessment Document and Risk Management Action Plan; Availability
(3 pages plus risk assessment documents)
5. Description of content:  The Food and Drug Administrati on (FDA), and the Food Safety
and Inspection Service (FSIS) of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) are
announcing the availability of two documents: A draft risk assessment on the relationship
between foodborne Listeria monocytogenes and human health that considers 20 ready-to-eat
food categories, and a risk management action plan based on the L. monocytogenes risk
assessment. We are making these documents available, and we are seeking public comment
of a technical nature on the draft risk assessment. The risk management action plan
identifies immediate actions as well as short-term and long-term activities targeted to reduce
L. monocytogenes associated illnesses. This plan is intended to respond to the President'sdirective to reduce L. monocytogenes associated illnesses by 50 percent by the year 2005.
HHS and USDA invite comments on the risk management strategies reflected in the action
plan. A public meeting to discuss the draft risk assessment and the risk management plan
will be announced in a future issue of the Federal Register.
6. Objective and rationale: [  X ] food safety,  [    ] animal health,  [    ] plant protection,
[    ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease, [    ] protect territory from
other damage from pests           
7. An international standard, guideline or recommendation does not exist [  X ].
If an international standard, guideline or recommendation exists, give the appropriate
reference and briefly identify deviations:
8. Relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available: 66 FR 5515,
19 January 2001 (Available in English)
9. Proposed date of adoption:  To be determined.G/SPS/N/USA/385
Page 2
10. Proposed date of entry into force:  To be determined.
11. Final date for comments:  20 March 2001
Agency or authority designated to handle comments:  Food and Drug Administration
[    ] National notification authority, [     ] National enquiry point, or address, fax
number and E-mail address (if available) of other body:  Detailed instruction on where
and how to send comments is in the body of the full text - which will be sent upon request
to the address in paragraph 12.
12. Texts available from: [  X ] National notification authority, [  X ] National enquiry point
or address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of other body:
United States SPS Enquiry Point/Notification Authority
USDA/FAS/FSTSD
ATTN: Carolyn F. Wilson
Room 5545 South Agriculture Building
Stop 10271400 Independence Avenue, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20250
Phone:  (202) 720-2239
Fax:  (202) 690-0677
E-mail:  ofsts@fas.usda.gov