[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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