[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 212 (Friday, November 1, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65661-65663]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-25976]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Food and Drug Administration
[Docket No. FDA-2013-N-1161]
Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection;
Comment Request; Food Safety Survey
AGENCY: Food and Drug Administration, HHS.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA or we) is announcing an
opportunity for public comment on our proposed collection of certain
information. Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (the
[[Page 65662]]
PRA), Federal Agencies must publish a notice in the Federal Register
concerning each proposed collection of information, including each
proposed reinstatement of an existing collection of information and
allow 60 days for public comment. This notice invites comments on a
voluntary consumer survey entitled, ``Food Safety Survey.''
DATES: Submit either written or electronic comments on the collection
of information by December 31, 2013.
ADDRESSES: Submit electronic comments on the collection of information
to http://www.regulations.gov. Submit written comments on the
collection of information to the Division of Dockets Management (HFA-
305), Food and Drug Administration, 5630 Fishers Lane, Rm. 1061,
Rockville, MD 20852. All comments should be identified with the docket
number found in brackets in the heading of this document.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: FDA PRA Staff, Office of Operations,
Food and Drug Administration, 1350 Piccard Dr., PI50-400B, Rockville,
MD 20850, [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the PRA (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520), Federal
agencies must obtain approval from the Office of Management and Budget
(OMB) for each collection of information they conduct or sponsor.
``Collection of information'' is defined in 44 U.S.C. 3502(3) and 5 CFR
1320.3(c) and includes Agency requests or requirements that members of
the public submit reports, keep records, or provide information to a
third party. Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A))
requires Federal Agencies to provide a 60-day notice in the Federal
Register concerning each proposed collection of information, including
each proposed reinstatement of an existing collection of information,
before submitting the collection to OMB for approval. To comply with
this requirement, we are publishing notice of the proposed collection
of information set forth in this document.
With respect to the following collection of information, we invite
comments on these topics: (1) Whether the proposed collection of
information is necessary for the proper performance of our functions,
including whether the information will have practical utility; (2) the
accuracy of our estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of
information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions
used; (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the
information to be collected; and (4) ways to minimize the burden of the
collection of information on respondents, including through the use of
automated collection techniques, when appropriate, and other forms of
information technology.
Food Safety Survey--(OMB Control Number 0910-0345)--Reinstatement
I. Background
Under section 903(b)(2) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act
(21 U.S.C. 393(b)(2)), we are authorized to conduct research relating
to foods and to conduct educational and public information programs
relating to the safety of the nation's food supply. The Food Safety
Survey measures consumers' knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs about food
safety. Previous versions of the survey were collected in 1988, 1993,
1998, 2001, 2006, and 2010. Data from the previous Food Safety Surveys
and from this proposed survey will be used to evaluate two Healthy
People 2020 objectives: (1) Increase the proportion of consumers who
follow key food safety practices (Objective FS-5), and (2) reduce
severe allergic reactions to food among adults with a food allergy
diagnosis (Objective FS-4) (Ref. 1). Data from this survey will also be
used to measure progress toward the United States Department of
Agriculture's Food Safety Inspection Service's FY2011-FY2016 Strategic
Plan goal of ensuring that, ``Consumers, including vulnerable and
underserved populations, adopt food safety best practices'' (Ref. 2).
Additionally, Food Safety Survey data are used to measure trends in
consumer food safety habits including hand and cutting board washing,
cooking practices, and use of food thermometers. Finally, data are used
to evaluate educational messages and to inform policymakers about
consumer attitudes about technologies such as food irradiation and
biotechnology.
The proposed Food Safety Survey will contain many of the same
questions and topics as previous Food Safety Surveys to facilitate
measuring trends in food safety knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors
over time. The proposed survey will also be updated to explore emerging
consumer food safety topics and expand understanding of previously
asked topics. For example, recent papers in both the United States
(Ref. 3) and Europe (Refs. 4 and 5) have pointed to changing
epidemiology of listeriosis where adults over 60 years old have the
highest rates of the illness. One reason for the increase in
listeriosis rates among those over 60 years old could be increasing
host susceptibility due to widened use of immunocompromising
medications. We plan to include questions on the proposed survey to
document the proportion of those over 60 years old who self-report
taking a defined list of major immunocompromising medications. In
conjunction with our established questions about safe food handling and
eating potentially risky foods, the additional questions will expand
our understanding of listeriosis among those over 60. Other new topics
planned to be covered on the survey include: Consumer understanding of
mechanically tenderized beef, awareness of foodborne pathogens such as
Toxoplasma gondii, and awareness of the risks associated with eating
raw sprouts.
The methods for the proposed Food Safety Survey will be largely the
same as those used with the previous Food Safety Surveys. One major
difference is that, unlike the data collection mode for previous Food
Safety Surveys that used only land telephone lines, the proposed survey
will include cell phones in addition to landlines. A nationally
representative sample of 4,000 adults (2,400 landline and 1,600 cell
phone) will be selected at random for the telephone interviews. The
survey will also include an oversample of Hispanics and Blacks to
ensure a minimum of 400 each. Additionally, 50 non-respondents will be
asked to participate in a short version of the survey from which we
will conduct a non-response analysis. Participation in the survey will
be voluntary. Cognitive interviews and a pre-test will be conducted
prior to fielding the survey.
FDA estimates the burden of this collection of information as follows:
Table 1--Estimated Annual Reporting Burden \1\
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Number of
Activity Number of responses per Total annual Average burden per response Total hours
respondents respondent responses
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Cognitive interview screener................ 75 1 75 0.083 (5 mins.)........................... 6
Cognitive interview......................... 9 1 9 1. (60 mins.)............................. 9
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Pretest screener............................ 45 1 45 0.0167 (1 min.)........................... 1
Pretest..................................... 18 1 18 0.33 (20 mins.)........................... 6
Survey screener............................. 10,000 1 10,000 0.0167 (1 min.)........................... 167
Survey...................................... 4,000 1 4,000 0.33 (20 mins)............................ 1320
Non-response survey screener................ 125 1 125 0.0167 (1 min.)........................... 2
Non-response survey......................... 50 1 50 0.1 (10 mins.)............................ 5
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Total................................... .............. .............. .............. .......................................... 1516
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\1\ There are no capital costs or operating and maintenance costs associated with this collection of information.
FDA's burden estimate is based on the Agency's prior experience with
the Food Safety Survey.
II. References
1. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, ``Healthy People
2020--Improving the Lives of Americans,'' July 30, 2013. Available
at http://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/default.aspx.
2. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food Safety Inspection Service,
``Strategic Plan FY 2011-2016,'' April 6, 2012. Available at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/informational/aboutfsis/strategic-planning/fy-2011-2016-strategic-plan/ct_index.
3. Pouillot, R., Hoelzer, K., Jackson, K.A., Henao, O.L. and Silk,
B.J. ``Relative Risk of Listeriosis in Foodborne Diseases Active
Surveillance Network (FoodNet) Sites According to Age, Pregnancy,
and Ethnicity,'' Clinical Infectious Diseases, 54(S5): S401-410,
2012.
4. Goulet, V., Hedberg, C., Le Monnier A. and de Valk, H.
``Increasing Incidence of Listeriosis in France and other European
Countries,'' Emerging Infectious Diseases, 14(5): 734-740, 2008.
5. Mu[ntilde]oz, P., Rojas, L., Bunsow, E., Saez, E.,
S[aacute]nchez-Cambronero, L., Alcal[aacute], L., Rogr[iacute]guez-
Creixems, M. and Bouza, E. ``Listeriosis: An Emerging Public Health
Problem Especially Among the Elderly,'' Journal of Infection, 64:
19-33, 2012.
Dated: October 25, 2013.
Leslie Kux,
Assistant Commissioner for Policy.
[FR Doc. 2013-25976 Filed 10-31-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-01-P