[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 231 (Thursday, December 2, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 70147-70148]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-26551]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Food and Drug Administration

[Docket No. 2004N-0516]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request; 2005 Food Safety Survey

AGENCY: Food and Drug Administration, HHS.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is announcing an 
opportunity for public comment on the proposed collection of certain 
information by the agency. Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 
(the PRA), Federal agencies are required to publish notice in the 
Federal Register concerning each proposed collection of information and 
to allow 60 days for public comment in response to the notice. This 
notice solicits comments on a voluntary consumer survey about food 
safety.

DATES: Submit written or electronic comments on the collection of 
information by January 31, 2005.

ADDRESSES: Submit electronic comments on the collection of information 
to http://www.fda.gov/dockets/ecomments. Submit written comments on the 
collection of information to the Division of Dockets Management (HFA-
305), Food and Drug Administration, 5630 Fishers Lane, rm. 1061, 
Rockville, MD 20852. All comments should be identified with the docket 
number found in brackets in the heading of this document.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Peggy Robbins, Office of Management 
Programs (HFA-250), Food and Drug Administration, 5600 Fishers Lane, 
Rockville, MD 20857, 301-827-1223.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the PRA (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520), Federal 
agencies must obtain approval from the Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) for each collection of information they conduct or sponsor. 
``Collection of information'' is defined in 44 U.S.C. 3502(3) and 5 CFR 
1320.3(c) and includes agency requests or requirements that members of 
the public submit reports, keep records, or provide information to a 
third party. Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)) 
requires Federal

[[Page 70148]]

agencies to provide a 60-day notice in the Federal Register concerning 
each proposed collection of information before submitting the 
collection to OMB for approval. To comply with this requirement, FDA is 
publishing notice of the proposed collection of information set forth 
in this document.
    With respect to the following collection of information, FDA 
invites comments on these topics: (1) Whether the proposed collection 
of information is necessary for the proper performance of FDA's 
functions, including whether the information will have practical 
utility; (2) the accuracy of FDA's estimate of the burden of the 
proposed collection of information, including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used; (3) ways to enhance the quality, 
utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (4) ways 
to minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents, 
including through the use of automated collection techniques, when 
appropriate, and other forms of information technology.

2005 Food Safety Survey

    Under section 903(b)(2) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act 
(21 U.S.C. 393(b)(2)), FDA is authorized to conduct research relating 
to foods and to conduct educational and public information programs 
relating to the safety of the Nation's food supply. FDA is planning to 
conduct a consumer survey about food safety under this authority. The 
food safety survey will provide information about consumers' food 
safety awareness, knowledge, concerns, and practices. A nationally 
representative sample of 4,000 adults in households with telephones 
will be selected at random and interviewed by telephone. This survey 
will include an oversample of Hispanics with a minimum of 500 Hispanics 
sampled. Additionally, 200 initial nonrespondents will be asked to 
participate in a short version of the survey to conduct a nonresponse 
analysis. Participation will be voluntary. Detailed information will be 
obtained about food safety risk perception, perceived sources of food 
contamination, knowledge of particular microorganisms, food handling 
practices, consumption of raw foods from animals, and perceived 
foodborne illness and food allergy experience.
    The majority of the questions to be asked are identical to ones 
asked in the 2001 Food Safety Survey (the 2001 survey). Because of 
recent national consumer education campaigns about food safety and the 
large amount of media attention to food safety issues in the past few 
years, consumer attitudes, knowledge, and practices are likely to have 
changed greatly since the 2001 survey. FDA needs current information to 
support consumer education programs and regulatory development. 
Additionally, this data will be used to measure changes in food safety 
handling practices and food allergy reactions as part of the Healthy 
People 2010 food safety objectives and allergen goals. New areas on the 
survey include awareness of bovine spongiform encephalopathy and 
acrylamide, refrigeration practices, and updated questions on washing 
practices for fresh fruits and vegetables.
    FDA estimates the burden of this collection of information as 
follows:

                                                     Table 1.--Estimated Annual Reporting Burden\1\
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                                                 Annual Frequency  per
            No. of  Respondents                        Response               Total Annual  Responses         Hours per  Response         Total Hours
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10,000--Screener                                                        1                        10,000                         .0167                167
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4,000--Survey                                                           1                         4,000                         .3                 1,200
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200--Short survey of ``initial                                          1                           200                         .10                   20
 nonresponders''
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Total                                                                   1                        14,200                         .4167              1,387
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\1\ There are no capital costs or operating and maintenance costs associated with this collection of information.

    The burden estimate is based on FDA's experience with the 2001 
survey mentioned previously in this document.

    Dated: November 26, 2004.
Jeffrey Shuren,
Assistant Commissioner for Policy.
[FR Doc. 04-26551 Filed 12-1-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-01-S