Bare-Hand Contact of Ready-to-Eat Foods

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Food and Drug Administration

[Docket No. 99N-0438]

Bare-Hand Contact of Ready-to-Eat Foods

AGENCY: Food and Drug Administration, HHS.

ACTION: Notice of public meeting; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Center for Food

Safety and Applied Nutrition, in conjunction with the National Advisory

Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods (the committee), and in

cooperation with the Food Safety and Inspection Service, U.S.

Department of Agriculture is announcing a public meeting to discuss

issues related to the contamination of ready-to-eat foods in retail

establishments. The sponsoring agencies invite comments on this issue

at the request of the Conference for Food Protection.

DATES: The public meeting will be held on Tuesday, September 21, 1999,

from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and on Wednesday,

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September 22, 1999, from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Registration and written

notices of participation must be submitted by September 13, 1999.

ADDRESSES: The public meeting will be held at The Washington Plaza

Hotel, 10 Thomas Circle NW., at Massachusetts Ave. and 14th St.,

Washington, DC. Submit registration and written notices of

participation to Catherine M. DeRoever (address below). Submit written

comments to the Dockets Management Branch (HFA-305), Food and Drug

Administration, 5630 Fishers Lane, rm. 1061, Rockville, MD 20852. Two

copies of any comments are to be submitted, except that individuals may

submit one copy. Comments are to be identified with the docket number

found in brackets in the heading of this document.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Catherine M. DeRoever, Advisory

Committee Office (HFS-22), Center for Food Safety and Applied

Nutrition, Food and Drug Administration, 200 C St. SW., Washington, DC

20204, 202-205-4251, FAX 202-205-4970, or e-mail

``[email protected]''.

Those persons interested in attending the public meeting should, by

September 13, 1999, fax their name, title, firm name, address, and

telephone number to Catherine M. DeRoever (fax number above).

Those persons interested in presenting information at the public

meeting should, by September 13, 1999, fax their name, title, firm

name, address, telephone number, and an outline of their presentation

to Catherine M. DeRoever (fax number above). Oral comments may be made

during the open public comment period, Tuesday, September 21, 1999,

between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. Time allotted to each public commentator may

be limited to 3 minutes with time being assigned on a first-come-first-

served basis.

There is no registration fee for this public meeting, but advance

registration is suggested. Interested persons are encouraged to

register early because space may be limited.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This public meeting will provide an

opportunity for an open discussion of the issues related to bare-hand

contact of ready-to-eat foods in retail establishments. The committee

will be asked to consider the risk of transmitting bacterial, viral,

and parasitic pathogens from foodworkers, via ready-to-eat foods, to

consumers, and the effectiveness of interventions.

The sponsoring agencies encourage individuals with relevant

scientific data or information (i.e., epidemiology and effectiveness of

interventions to prevent or minimize risks associated with bare-hand

contact of ready-to-eat foods) to present such information at the

meeting or in written comments to this record.

A transcript of the public meeting will be prepared. Copies of the

transcript may be requested in writing from the Freedom of Information

Office (HFI-35), Food and Drug Administration, 5600 Fishers Lane, rm.

12A-16, Rockville, MD 20857, approximately 15 working days after the

meeting. The transcript of the public meeting and submitted comments

will be available for public examination at the Dockets Management

Branch (address above) between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through

Friday.

Dated: August 6, 1999.

Margaret M. Dotzel,

Acting Associate Commissioner for Policy.

[FR Doc. 99-20992 Filed 8-12-99; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4160-01-F