Document ID: FDA-2016-N-0001-0110
Agency: fda
Document Type: Notice
Title: Menu Labeling Public Workshop; Public Meeting
Posted Date: 2016-09-16T04:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 180 (Friday, September 16, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 63776-63777]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-22337]

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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Food and Drug Administration

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

Menu Labeling Public Workshop; Public Meeting

AGENCY: Food and Drug Administration, HHS.

ACTION: Notice of public meeting.

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SUMMARY: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA or we) is announcing a 
third public meeting to discuss menu labeling requirements. We 
announced the first two public meetings in a separate Federal Register 
notice earlier 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 Meeting'' in the 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this document for dates, times, 
and addresses of the public meeting, closing date for advance 
registration, requesting special accommodations due to disability, and 
other information.

ADDRESSES: See ``How to Participate in the Public Meeting'' 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, email: 
rsvp@tepgevents.com.
    For general questions about the public meeting, contact Loretta A. 
Carey, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (HFS-820), Food and 
Drug Administration, 5001 Campus Dr., 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 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

[[Page 63777]]

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 this is our third menu labeling workshop to educate 
interested members of the public, especially the regulated industry, 
about the menu labeling requirements. We announced the first two public 
meetings in a separate Federal Register notice on June 15, 2016 (81 FR 
39056). Interested persons can continue to submit general questions to 
CalorieLabeling@fda.hhs.gov.

II. Purpose and Format of the Public Meeting

    The purpose of this public meeting 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 give a slide 
presentation on the menu labeling requirements. (Please note the slide 
presentation will only be presented on day one.) 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 Meeting

    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 
meeting.

                                  Table 1--Information on Menu Labeling Meeting
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               Activity                          Date              Electronic address            Address
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Public meeting.......................  November 16 and 17,      .......................  Holiday Inn Hotel &
                                        2016, 8 a.m. to 4:30                              Suites Oakland
                                        p.m.                                              Airport, 77
                                                                                          Hegenberger Rd.,
                                                                                          Oakland, CA 94621.
Advance registration.................  by November 9, 2016....  http://www.cvent.com/d/  We encourage you to use
                                                                 zfq6sm.                  electronic
                                                                                          registration if
                                                                                          possible.\1\
Request special accommodations due to  by November 9, 2016....  .......................  See FOR FURTHER
 a disability.                                                                            INFORMATION CONTACT.
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\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, email:
  rsvp@tepgevents.com.

IV. Transcripts

    Transcripts of the workshop will not be prepared.

    Dated: September 13, 2016.
Leslie Kux,
Associate Commissioner for Policy.
[FR Doc. 2016-22337 Filed 9-15-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4164-01-P