Codex Alimentarius Commission: Meeting of the Codex Committee on Food Hygiene

Background

Codex was established in 1962 by two United Nations organizations, the Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Health Organization. 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 Food Hygiene Issues (CCFH) was established to draft basic provisions on food hygiene for all foods. The Government of United States of America hosts this committee and will chair the Thirty-second Session of the Codex Committee on Food Hygiene Issues.

Issues To Be Discussed at the Public Meeting

The purpose of the first meeting (October 12-13, 1999) is to provide information and receive public comments on all issues coming before the 32nd Session of the CCFH. Specific time periods during the two-day period will be designated to review each issue and will be announced on October 12. The purpose of the second meeting is to present and receive comment on draft United States positions on all issues coming before the 32nd Session of CCFH. Below is a list of documents that address the issues the CCFH will discuss at the meetings. The issue documents marked with an asterisk are available in the FSIS docket Clerks

office (See ADDRESSES). The remaining documents will be available in the docket clerks office as soon as they are published.

1. Report by the Secretariat on Matters Referred by the Codex Alimentarius Commission and/or Other Codex Committees to the Food Hygiene Committee including the Report of the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Consultation on Risk Assessment of Microbiological Hazards in Foods (CX/FH 99/2). 2. Draft Code of Hygienic Practice for Bottled/Packed Drinking Waters (Other than Natural Mineral Waters), (CL 1999/9-FH). Government Comments--(CX/FH 99/3). 3. *Draft Code of Hygienic Practice for the Transport of Foodstuffs in Bulk and Semi-Packed Foodstuffs (CX/FH 99/4). Government Comments--(CX/FH 99/4-Add. 1). 4. *Proposed Draft Code of Hygienic Practice for Milk and Milk Products (CX/FH 99/5). Government Comments--(CX/FH 99/5-Add. 1). 5. *Proposed Draft Code of Hygienic Practice for the Primary Production, Harvesting and Packaging of Fresh Fruits and Vegetables (CX/FH 99/6). Government Comments--(CX/FH 99/6-Add. 1). 6. *Proposed Draft Code of Hygienic Practice for Pre-Cut Fruits and Vegetables at Step 4 (CX/FH 99/7). Government Comments--(CX/FH 99/7-Add. 1). 7. *Proposed Draft Principles and Guidelines for the Conduct of Microbiological Risk Management (CX/FH 99/8). Government Comments-- (CX/FH 99/8-Add. 1). 8. Discussion Paper on HACCP in Less Developed Businesses (CX/FH 99/9). 9. *Discussion Paper on Proposed Draft Recommendations for the Control of Listeria monocytogenes in Foods in International Trade (CX/FH 99/10). 10. Discussion Paper on Viruses in Foods (CX/FH 99/11). 11. Discussion Paper on Antibiotic Resistance in Food (CX/FH 99/ 12). 12. Discussion Paper on Proposed Draft Guidelines for the Hygienic Reuse of Processing Water in Food Plants (CX/FH 99/13). 13. *Priorities for the Revision of Codes of Hygienic Practice (CX/FH 99/14).

Additional Public Notification

Pursuant to Department Regulation 4300-4, ``Civil Rights Impact Analysis,'' dated September 22, 1993, FSIS has considered the potential civil rights impact of this public meeting on minorities, women, and persons with disabilities. FSIS anticipates that this public meeting will not have a negative or disproportionate impact on minorities, women, or persons with disabilities. However, public meetings generally are designed to provide information and receive public comments on substantive issues which may lead to new or revised agency regulations or instructions. Public involvement in all segments of rulemaking and policy development are important. Consequently, in an effort to better ensure that minorities, women, and persons with disabilities are made aware of this public meeting and are informed about the mechanism for providing their comments, 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 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 professionals and other individuals that have requested to be included. Through these various channels, FSIS is able to provide information with a much broader, more diverse audience. For more information and to be added to the constituent fax list, fax your request to the Office of Congressional and Public Affairs, at (202) 720-5704.

Done at Washington, DC, on October 1, 1999. F. Edward Scarbrough, U.S. Manager for Codex Alimentarius. [FR Doc. 99-26124 Filed 10-6-99; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410-DM-P