[Federal Register: August 13, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 156)]
[Notices]
[Page 50155-50157]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr13au04-37]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food Safety and Inspection Service
[Docket No. 04-022N]
Codex Alimentarius Commission: Meeting of the Codex Committee on
Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses
AGENCY: Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of public meeting and request for comments.
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SUMMARY: This notice informs the public that the Office of the Under
Secretary for Food Safety, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and
the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services (HHS), are sponsoring a public meeting on September 9,
2004. The objective of the public meeting is to provide information and
receive public comments on agenda items and draft United States'
positions that will be discussed at the 26th Session of the Codex
Committee on Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses (CCNFSDU) to
be held in Bonn, Germany, November 1-5, 2004. The Under Secretary for
Food Safety and FDA recognize the importance of providing interested
parties the opportunity to obtain background information on the 26th
Session of CCNFSDU and to address items on the agenda.
DATES: The public meeting is scheduled for Thursday, September 9, 2004,
from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
ADDRESSES: The public meeting will be held in the Auditorium (1A003),
Food and Drug Administration, Harvey Wiley Federal Building, 5100 Paint
Branch Parkway, College Park, MD. To receive copies of the Codex
documents pertaining to the agenda items for the 26th CCNFSDU session,
contact the Docket Clerk, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food Safety
and Inspection Service, 300 12th Street, SW., Room 102 Cotton Annex,
Washington, DC 20250. The documents will also be accessible
[[Page 50156]]
via the World Wide Web at the following address: http://www.codexalimentarius.net.
FSIS invites interested persons to submit
comments on this notice. Comments may be submitted by any of the
following methods:
Mail, including floppy disks or CD-ROM's, and hand- or
courier-delivered items: Send to Docket Clerk, U.S. Department of
Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service, 300 12th Street, SW.,
Room 102 Cotton Annex, Washington, DC 20250.
All submissions received must include the Agency name and docket
number 04-022N.
All comments submitted in response to this notice, as well
as research and background information used by FSIS in developing this
document, will be available for public inspection in the FSIS Docket
Room at the address listed above between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.,
Monday through Friday. The comments also will be posted on the Agency's
Web site at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OPPDE/rdad/FRDockets.htm.
The U.S. Delegate to the CCNFSDU, Dr. Barbara Schneeman of the Food
and Drug Administration, also invites United States interested parties
to submit their comments electronically to the following e-mail address
nancy.crane@cfsan.fda.gov).
Pre-Registration: To gain admittance to this meeting, individuals
must present a photo ID for identification and also are required to
pre-register. In addition, no cameras or videotaping equipment will be
permitted in the meeting room. To pre-register, please send the
following information to this e-mail address
nancy.crane@cfsan.fda.gov) by September 1, 2004.
--Your Name;
--Organization;
--Mailing Address;
--Phone number;
--E-mail Address.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ellen Matten, Staff Officer, U.S.
Codex Office, FSIS, Room 4861, South Agriculture Building, 1400
Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20250, telephone number (202)
205-7760; fax (202) 720-3157. Persons requiring a sign language
interpreter or other special accommodations should notify Ms. Matten at
the above number.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Codex was established in 1962 by two United Nations organizations,
the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Health
Organization (WHO). Codex is the major international organization for
encouraging fair international trade in food and protecting the health
and economic interests of consumers. Through adoption of food
standards, codes of practice, and other guidelines developed by its
committees, and by promoting their adoption and implementations by
governments, Codex seeks to ensure the world's food supply is sound,
wholesome, free from adulteration, and correctly labeled.
The Codex Committee on Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses
was established to study specific nutritional problems assigned to it
by the Commission and advise the Commission on general nutritional
issues; to draft general provisions as appropriate, concerning the
nutritional aspects of all foods; to develop standards, guidelines or
related texts for foods for special dietary uses, in cooperation with
other committees when necessary; and to consider, amend if necessary,
and endorse provisions on nutritional aspects proposed for inclusion in
Codex standards, guidelines and related texts. The CCNFSDU is hosted by
the Federal Republic of Germany.
Issues To Be Discussed at the Public Meeting
At a minimum, the following items will be on the Agenda for the
26th Session of the Committee:
1. Draft Revised Standard for Gluten-Free Foods (retained at Step 7
until more data on tolerance levels of gluten are available).
2. Guidelines for Use of Nutrition Claims: Draft Table of
Conditions for Nutrient Contents (Part B, containing provisions on
Dietary Fibre).
3. Draft Guidelines for Vitamin and Mineral Food Supplements.
4. Draft Revised Standard for Processed Cereal-Based Foods for
Infants and Young Children.
5. Draft Revised Standard for Infant Formula.
6. Proposed Draft Revision of the Advisory Lists of Nutrient
Compounds for the Use in Foods for Special Dietary Uses intended for
use by Infants and Young Children.
7. Proposed Draft Recommendations of the Scientific Basis of Health
Claims.
8. Guidelines on the Application of Risk Analysis to the Work of
CCNFSDU.
9. Discussion Paper on the FAO Technical Workshop on Energy
Conversion Factors.
Note: The provisional agenda for the 26th CCNFSDU session will
be posted on the World Wide Web in advance of the meeting at the
following address: http://www.codexalimentarius.net.
Public Meeting
At the September 9th public meeting, the issues and draft United
States positions on the issues will be described, discussed, and
attendees will have the opportunity to pose questions and offer
comments. Comments may be sent to the FSIS Docket Room (see ADDRESSES).
In addition, they may be sent electronically to the U.S. Delegate (see
ADDRESSES). Please state that your comments relate to CCNFSDU
activities (04-022N) and specify which issues your comments address.
Additional Public Notification
Public awareness of all segments of rulemaking and policy
development is important. Consequently, in an effort to ensure that the
public and in particular minorities, women, and persons with
disabilities, are aware of this notice, FSIS will announce it on-line
through the FSIS Web page located at http://www.fsis.usda.gov. The
Regulations.gov Web site is the central online rulemaking portal of the
United States government. It is being offered as a public service to
increase participation in the Federal government's regulatory
activities. FSIS participates in Regulations.gov and will accept
comments on documents published on the site. The site allows visitors
to search by keyword or Department or Agency for rulemakings that allow
for public comment. Each entry provides a quick link to a comment form
so that visitors can type in their comments and submit them to FSIS.
The Web site is located at http://www.regulations.gov.
FSIS also will make copies of this Federal Register publication
available through the FSIS Constituent Update, which is used to provide
information regarding FSIS policies, procedures, regulations, Federal
Register notices, FSIS public meetings, recalls, and other types of
information that could affect or would be of interest to our
constituents and stakeholders. The update is communicated via Listserv,
a free e-mail subscription service consisting of industry, trade, and
farm groups, consumer interest groups, allied health professionals,
scientific professionals, and other individuals who have requested to
be included. The update also is available on the FSIS Web page. Through
Listserv and the Web page, FSIS is able to provide information to a
much broader, more diverse audience.
[[Page 50157]]
Done in Washington, DC on August 9, 2004.
F. Edward Scarbrough,
U.S. Manager for Codex Alimentarius.
[FR Doc. 04-18499 Filed 8-12-04; 8:45 am]