Document ID: FDA-2016-N-0001-0074
Agency: fda
Document Type: Notice
Title: Menu Labeling Public Workshops; Public Meetings
Posted Date: 2016-06-15T04:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 115 (Wednesday, June 15, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39056-39057]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-14138]

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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Food and Drug Administration

[Docket No. FDA-2016-N-0001]

Menu Labeling Public Workshops; Public Meetings

AGENCY: Food and Drug Administration, HHS.

ACTION: Notice of public meetings.

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SUMMARY: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA or we) is announcing two 
public meetings to discuss menu labeling requirements. We will announce 
an additional public meeting to be held in Oakland, California, in a 
separate Federal Register notice later this year. The purpose of the 
public meetings is to help the regulated industry comply with the 
requirements of the menu labeling final rule.

DATES: See ``How to Participate in the Public Meetings'' in the 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this document for dates, times, 
and addresses of the public meetings, closing dates for advance 
registration, requesting special accommodations due to disability, and 
other information.

ADDRESSES: See ``How to Participate in the Public Meetings'' in the 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this document.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 
    For questions about registering for this meeting or for special 
accommodations due to disability, contact Cindy de Sales, The Event 
Planning Group, 8720 Georgia Ave., Suite 801, Silver Spring, MD 20910, 
240-316-3207, FAX: 240-652-6002, and email: rsvp@tepgevents.com.
    For general questions about the public meetings, contact Loretta A. 
Carey, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (HFS-820), Food and 
Drug Administration, 5100 Paint Branch Pkwy., College Park, MD 20740, 
240-402-2371.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    In the Federal Register of December 1, 2014 (79 FR 71156), we 
published a final rule on nutrition labeling of standard menu items in 
restaurants and similar retail food establishments; the rule is 
codified at Title 21 of the Code of Federal Regulations, section 
101.11. The final rule implements section 403(q)(5)(H) of the Federal 
Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (the FD&C Act) (21 U.S.C. 343(q)(5)(H)), 
which, in general, requires that restaurants and similar retail food 
establishments that are part of a chain with 20 or more locations, 
doing business under the same name, and offering for sale substantially 
the same menu items, provide calorie information for standard menu 
items (including food on display and self-service food), provide, upon 
request, additional written nutrition information for standard menu 
items, and comply with other requirements described in section 
403(q)(5)(H) of the FD&C Act.
    On December 18, 2015, the President signed the Consolidated 
Appropriations

[[Page 39057]]

Act, 2016 (Pub. L. 114-113). Section 747 of the Consolidated 
Appropriations Act states that none of the funds made available under 
the Consolidated Appropriations Act may be used to implement, 
administer, or enforce the final rule entitled ``Food Labeling; 
Nutrition Labeling of Standard Menu Items in Restaurants and Similar 
Retail Food Establishments'' until 1 year after the date of publication 
of a Level 1 guidance with respect to nutrition labeling of standard 
menu items in restaurants and similar retail food establishments.
    In the Federal Register of May 5, 2016 (81 FR 27067), we announced 
the availability of the guidance for industry entitled ``A Labeling 
Guide for Restaurants and Retail Establishments Selling Away-From-Home 
Foods--Part II (Menu Labeling Requirements in Accordance with 21 CFR 
101.11).'' The guidance uses a question and answer format and is 
intended to help restaurants and similar retail food establishments 
covered by the final rule comply with the nutrition labeling 
requirements of the final rule. In accordance with the Consolidated 
Appropriations Act, 2016, enforcement of the final rule will commence 
May 5, 2017.
    We have made education of the menu labeling requirements a high 
priority and are announcing two menu labeling workshops to educate 
interested members of the public, especially the regulated industry, 
about the menu labeling requirements. Interested persons can continue 
to submit general questions to CalorieLabeling@fda.hhs.gov.

II. Purpose and Format of the Public Meetings

    The purpose of these public meetings is to help the regulated 
industry comply with the requirements of the menu labeling final rule. 
On the morning of day one of the meeting, we will present information 
on the menu labeling requirements. The afternoon of day one and all of 
day two will consist of consultation sessions with FDA staff where 
individual companies (limited to two members per company) may discuss 
their specific questions and concerns. Each consultation session is 
limited to 15 minutes to help ensure that enough time is available to 
accommodate each company that requests a consultation. We recommend 
that participants in the consultation session prepare their questions 
in advance due to the limited time available.

III. How To Participate in the Public Meetings

    We encourage all persons who wish to attend the meeting to register 
in advance of the meeting and to indicate whether they are requesting a 
consultation session. There is no fee to register for the public 
meeting, and registration will be on a first-come, first-served basis. 
Early registration is recommended to facilitate planning of the 
consultation sessions and because seating is limited. We encourage you 
to use electronic registration if possible (see the address in table 
1).
    Table 1 provides information on participation in the public 
meetings.

                                 Table 1--Information on Menu Labeling Meetings
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             Activity                        Date              Electronic address               Address
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First public meeting..............  July 7 and 8, 2016, 8  ..........................  Harvey Wiley Building,
                                     a.m. to 4:30 p.m.                                  5100 Paint Branch Pkwy.,
                                                                                        College Park, MD 20740.
                                                                                       Note: The Prince George's
                                                                                        County Planning Board
                                                                                        recently approved a
                                                                                        request to change the
                                                                                        street name from ``Paint
                                                                                        Branch Parkway'' to
                                                                                        ``Campus Drive.'' This
                                                                                        change is expected to
                                                                                        occur on July 1, 2016.
Advance registration..............  by June 30, 2016.....  http://www.cvent.com/d/     We encourage you to use
                                                            zfq6sm.                     electronic registration
                                                                                        if possible.\1\
Request special accommodations due  by June 30, 2016.....  ..........................  See FOR FURTHER
 to a disability.                                                                       INFORMATION CONTACT.
Second public meeting.............  September 27 and 28,   ..........................  Robert A. Young Federal
                                     2016, 8 a.m. to 4:30                               Building, 1222 Spruce
                                     p.m.                                               St., St. Louis, MO
                                                                                        63103.
Advance registration..............  by September 20, 2016  http://www.cvent.com/d/     We encourage you to use
                                                            zfq6sm.                     electronic registration
                                                                                        if possible.\1\
Request special accommodations due  by September 13, 2016  ..........................  See FOR FURTHER
 to a disability.                                                                       INFORMATION CONTACT.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ You may also register via mail, fax, or email. Please include your name, title, firm name, address, and
  phone and fax numbers in your registration information and send to: Cindy de Sales, The Event Planning Group,
  8720 Georgia Ave., Suite 801, Silver Spring, MD 20910, 240-316-3207, FAX: 240-652-6002, and email:
  rsvp@tepgevents.com.

IV. Transcripts

    Transcripts of the workshop will not be prepared.

    Dated: June 10, 2016.
Leslie Kux,
Associate Commissioner for Policy.
[FR Doc. 2016-14138 Filed 6-14-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4164-01-P