August 4, 2000

FDA and USDA's Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) have made available the agencies' current thinking papers. The current thinking papers represent the agencies' current views and approaches to ensure egg safety from farm to table. The document discusses approaches to the production of shell eggs, processing and packaging of shell eggs and egg products, and retail sale of shell eggs, including immediate consumption, such as at a restaurant, intended to reduce the risk of consumer exposure to SE.

A copy of the "Current Thinking Papers on the National Standards for Egg Safety" is provided. The document can also be found on the internet at http://www.foodsafety.gov/~dms/egg0700.html.

Written comments on the current thinking papers will be accepted until August 14, 2000. Comments may be submitted directly to FDA, Docket No. 00N-0504 and/or FSIS, Docket No. 98-045N4. All comments must include the appropriate docket number and should be submitted in triplicate to:

Food and Drug Administration
Dockets Management Branch (HFA-305)
5630 Fishers Lane, Room 1061
Rockville, Maryland 20852

United States Department of Agriculture
Food Safety Inspection Service Docket Clerk
300 12^th Street, SW, Room 102
Cotton Annex
Washington, D.C. 20250-3700

Comments to FDA's Docket Management Branch may also be sent via e-mail to FDADockets@oc.fda.gov or submitted via FDA Internet at http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/oc/dockets/comments/commentdocket.cfm.

Food Safety Initiative Staff E-mail: chammett@cfsan.fda.gov

Office Number: (202) 260-8920 · FAX (202) 260-9653 CFSAN Web site: http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/