[Federal Register: July 10, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 132)]
[Notices]
[Page 41110-41111]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr10jy03-28]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food Safety and Inspection Service
[Docket No. 03-024N]
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: 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 16, 2003. 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 25th Session of the Codex Committee on Nutrition and Foods for
Special Dietary Uses (CCNFSDU) to be held in Bonn, Germany, November 3-
7, 2003.
The Under Secretary for Food Safety and FDA recognize the
importance of providing interested parties the opportunity to obtain
background information on the 25th Session of CCNFSDU and to address
items on the agenda.
DATES: The public meeting is schelduled for Tuesday, September 16, 2003
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 25th CCNFSDU session,
contact the FSIS Docket Clerk, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food
Safety and Inspection Service, Room 102, Cotton Annex, 300 12th Street,
SW., Washington, DC 20250-3700. The documents will also be accessible
via the World Wide Web at the following address: http://www.codexalimentarius.net.
If you would like to submit comments on one
or more agenda items, please send them, in triplicate, to the FSIS
Docket Clerk and reference Docket 03-024N. The U.S. Delegate
to the CCNFSDU, Dr. Elizabeth Yetley of the Food and Drug
Administration, also invites U.S. (United States) interested parties to
submit their comments electronically to the following e-mail address
(ncrane@cfsan.fda.gov). All comments submitted in response to this
notice will be available for public inspection in the Docket Clerk's
Office between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
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 (ncrane@cfsan.fda.gov) by
September 1, 2003:
--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 (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 implementation by
governments, Codex seeks to ensure that 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 committee 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
25th Session of the Committee:
1. Guidelines for Use of Nutrition Claims: Draft Table of
Conditions for Nutrient Contents: (Part B, containing provisions on
Dietary Fiber).
2. Draft Revised Standard for Gluten-Free Foods.
3. Proposed Draft Guidelines for Vitamin and Mineral Supplements.
4. Proposed Draft Revised Standard for Processed Cereal-Based Foods
for Infants and Young Children.
5. Proposed Draft Revised Standard for Infant Formula.
6. Proposed Draft Revision of the Advisory List(s) of Mineral Salts
and Vitamin Compounds for the Use in Foods for Infants and Young
Children (CAC/GL 10-1979).
7. Proposed Draft Recommendations of the Scientific Basis of Health
Claims.
8. Discussion Paper on Energy Conversion Factors.
9. Discussion Paper on the application of risk analysis to the work
of CCNFSDU.
Note: The provisional agenda for the 25th CCNFSDDU 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 16th 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 (Docket
03-024N) (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 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 better ensure
that minorities, women,
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and persons with disabilities are aware of this notice; FSIS will
announce it and make copies of this Federal Register publication
available through the FSIS Constituent Update. FSIS provides a weekly
Constituent Update, which is communicated via Listserv, a free e-mail
subscription service. In addition, the update is available on-line
through the FSIS web page located at http://www.fsis.usda.gov. The
update is used to provide information regarding FSIS policies,
procedures, regulations, Federal Register notices, FSIS public
meetings, recalls, and any other types of information that could affect
or would be of interest to our constituents/stakeholders. The
constituent Listserv consists of industry, trade, and farm groups,
consumer interest groups, allied health professionals, scientific
professionals, and other individuals that have requested to be
included. Through the Listserv and web page, FSIS is able to provide
information to a much broader, more diverse audience.
For more information contact the Congressional and Public Affairs
Office, at (202) 720-9113. To be added to the free e-mail subscription
service (Listserv) go to the ``Constituent Update'' page on the FSIS
Web site at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/oa/update/update.htm. Click on the
``Subscribe to the Constituent Update Listserv'' link, then fill out
and submit the form.
Done at Washington, DC on: July 7, 2003.
F. Edward Scarbrough,
U.S. Manager for Codex Alimentarius.
[FR Doc. 03-17470 Filed 7-9-03; 8:45 am]