[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 58 (Wednesday, March 26, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16800-16801]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-06615]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Food and Drug Administration
[Docket No. FDA-2014-N-0053]
Designation of High-Risk Foods for Tracing and for Scientific
Data and Information; Extension of Comment Period
AGENCY: Food and Drug Administration, HHS.
ACTION: Notice; extension of comment period.
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SUMMARY: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA or we) is extending the
comment period for the notice entitled ``Designation of High-Risk Foods
for Tracing; Request for Comments and for Scientific Data and
Information'' that appeared in the Federal Register of February 4, 2014
(79 FR 6596). In the notice, FDA requested comments and scientific data
and information that will help us to implement the section of the FDA
Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) that requires us to designate
high-risk foods. FDA is taking this action in response to requests for
an extension to allow interested persons additional time to submit
comments.
DATES: Submit either electronic or written comments on the notice by
May 22, 2014.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments and information, identified by
Docket No. FDA-2014-N-0053, by any of the following methods.
Electronic Submissions
Submit electronic comments and information in the following way:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov.
Follow the instructions for submitting comments and information.
Written Submissions
Submit written submissions in the following ways:
Mail/Hand delivery/Courier (for paper submissions):
Division of Dockets Management (HFA-305), Food and Drug Administration,
5630 Fishers Lane, Rm. 1061, Rockville, MD 20852.
Instructions: All submissions received must include the Agency name
and Docket No. FDA-2014-N-0053 for this notice. All comments and
information received may be posted without change to http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information provided. For
additional information on submitting comments and information, see the
``Request for Comments'' heading of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION
section of this document.
Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or
comments and information received, go to http://www.regulations.gov and
insert the docket number, found in brackets in the heading of this
document, into the ``Search'' box and follow the prompts and/or go to
the Division of Dockets Management (HFA-305), Food and Drug
Administration, 5630 Fishers Lane, Rm. 1061, Rockville, MD 20852.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sherri Dennis, Center for Food Safety
and Applied Nutrition (HFS-005), Food and Drug Administration, 5100
Paint Branch Pkwy., College Park, MD 20740, 240-402-1914.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
In the Federal Register of February 4, 2014 (79 FR 6596), FDA
published a notice with a 60-day comment period to request comments and
scientific data and information that will help us refine our draft
approach to identifying high-risk foods, as required by section
204(d)(2) of FSMA (Pub. L. 111-353). The notice summarized our draft
approach for the review and evaluation of data to designate high-risk
foods. We invited general comments on the draft approach, along with
requests for more specific input on alternative approaches for
identifying high-risk foods, whether or not the criteria should be
weighted equally, changes in the scoring system, and how foods should
be categorized.
FDA has received requests for extension of the comment period for
the notice. Each request conveyed concern that the current 60-day
comment period does not allow sufficient time to develop a meaningful
or thoughtful response to the notice.
FDA has considered the requests and is extending the comment period
for all interested persons for 45 days, until May 22, 2014. FDA
believes that a 45-day extension allows adequate time for interested
persons to submit comments.
II. Request for Comments
Interested persons may submit either electronic comments regarding
this document to http://www.regulations.gov or written comments to the
Division of Dockets Management (see ADDRESSES). It is only necessary to
send one set of comments. Identify comments with the docket number
found in brackets in the heading of this document. Received comments
may be seen in the Division of Dockets Management between 9 a.m. and 4
p.m., Monday through Friday, and will be posted to the docket at http://www.regulations.gov.
[[Page 16801]]
Dated: March 20, 2014.
Leslie Kux,
Assistant Commissioner for Policy.
[FR Doc. 2014-06615 Filed 3-25-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-01-P