[Federal Register: November 5, 2001 (Volume 66, Number 214)]
[Notices]
[Page 55912-55913]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr05no01-21]
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Notices
Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules
or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings
and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings,
delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency
statements of organization and functions are examples of documents
appearing in this section.
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[[Page 55912]]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food Safety and Inspection Service
[Docket No. 00-023N]
Availability of and Request for Comment on FSIS Draft Risk
Assessment for Escherichia coli O157:H7 in Ground Beef
AGENCY: Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is announcing
the availability of, and requesting public comment on, its draft risk
assessment for Escherichia coli (E. coli) O157:H7 in ground beef.
Meanwhile, the Agency is seeking scientific peer review of the draft
risk assessment from the National Academies of Science. The document
will be revised with comments from that review. FSIS conducted this
assessment to assist in reviewing and refining its integrated risk
reduction strategy for E. coli O157:H7 in beef.
DATES: Comments are due January 4, 2002.
ADDRESSES: Submit one original and two copies of written comments to:
FSIS Docket Room, Docket #00-023N, Room 102 Cotton Annex, 300 12th
Street, SW., Washington, DC 20250-3700. All comments received in
response to this notice will be considered part of the public record
and will be available for viewing in the FSIS Docket Room between 8:30
a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. As discussed below, the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) submitted comments on
the risk assessment in response to an earlier review of the document.
These and other comments will also be available in the FSIS Docket
Room.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For a copy of the draft risk
assessment contact: Annette Reid at 202-690-6409. The report is also
available on the FSIS homepage at www.fsis.usda.gov. For technical
questions and for a copy of the model contact Dr. Eric Ebel at 970-490-
7954.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
On August 18, 1998, FSIS announced plans to conduct a farm-to-table
risk assessment for E. coli O157:H7 in beef with a focus on ground beef
(63 FR 44232). A team comprised of Federal scientists, visiting
scientists, and consultants contributed to the assessment. The overall
goals of the assessment were to:
Quantitatively model, with attendant uncertainty, human
illnesses caused by E. coli O157:H7 in ground beef in the United States
Identify the occurrence and levels of the pathogen at
points along the farm-to-table continuum
Identify future research needs
Document risk assessment methods and evidence for future
assessments
Effectively communicate the results to all interested
parties--government, consumer groups, industry, the scientific
community, and the general public.
FSIS held a public meeting on October 28, 1998, to solicit comment
and input at an early stage of the project regarding the scope of the
risk assessment, the analytical framework to be used in conducting the
risk assessment, the scientific evidence acquired by the risk
assessment team, and the existing data gaps identified. At that
meeting, the Agency released a draft report ``Preliminary Pathways and
Data for Risk Assessment of E. coli O157:H7 in Beef.''
The risk assessment team then evaluated comments and additional
data received at the public meeting and in response to the comment
period announced in the August 18, 1998 Federal Register notice. The
risk assessment team also received peer input during the development
phase of the risk assessment through presentations at the 1998 Annual
Meeting of the Society for Risk Analysis (SRA) and at the 1999 Annual
Meeting of the International Association of Milk Food and Environmental
Sanitarians (now renamed the International Association for Food
Protection). While developing the assessment, the team convened a week-
long interagency workshop on microbial pathogens in food and water in
April 1999 that involved microbial risk assessment practitioners from
FSIS, the Food and Drug Administration, the Environmental Protection
Agency, the United Kingdom, and New Zealand. In December 1999,
additional peer input was received from presentations made to the SRA
and the National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for
Food.
FSIS presented a summary of some of the team's draft findings at a
public meeting on February 29, 2000. The purpose of the public meeting
was to discuss FSIS policy regarding E. coli O157:H7 and new
information concerning the pathogen and its relation to human health.
FSIS also circulated the draft risk assessment for comment within
the Federal Government, including a CDC and a select group of
individuals.
The team has completed a draft of the risk assessment. FSIS is
making this draft available to the public and is requesting comments.
The Agency also is making the assessment available for scientific peer
review from the National Academies of Science and the document will be
revised with comments from that review. All comments received in
response to this notice will be reviewed and considered when finalizing
the risk assessment.
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, and persons with disabilities are aware of this
notice, FSIS will announce it and provide copies of this Federal
Register publication in the FSIS Constituent Update. FSIS provides a
weekly FSIS Constituent Update, which is communicated via fax to over
300 organizations and individuals. 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 fax list consists of industry, trade, and farm groups,
consumer interest groups, allied health professionals, scientific
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professionals, and other individuals that have requested to be
included. Through these various channels, FSIS is able to provide
information to a much broader, more diverse audience. For more
information and to be added to the constituent fax list, fax your
request to the Congressional and Public Affairs Office, at (202) 720-
5704.
Done at Washington, DC on: October 30, 2001.
Margaret O'K. Glavin,
Acting Administrator.
[FR Doc. 01-27541 Filed 11-2-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-DM-P