[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 54 (Friday, March 20, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13618-13619]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-7192]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food Safety and Inspection Service
[Docket No. 98-004N]


Ground Beef Processing Guidance Material

AGENCY: Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Availability of material and public meeting notice.

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SUMMARY: The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announces that 
it is making available for public comment a guidance document intended 
to assist processors of ground beef, especially small processors, in 
developing procedures to minimize the risk of E. coli 0157:H7 and other 
pathogens in ground beef products produced in their establishments. 
FSIS plans to hold a public meeting to discuss this document on April 
22, 1998. FSIS is aware that other organizations also are developing 
guidance materials for the production of ground beef and encourages 
their presentation and discussion at the public meeting. These 
presentations will be scheduled, and appropriate time will be allotted. 
FSIS will make available any such materials submitted to the Agency 
prior to the meeting. FSIS

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is open to the idea of a collaboratively produced guidance document 
should that prove useful and practicable. In addition to discussing the 
draft guidance documents, FSIS also would be interested in comments on 
how best to ensure that the guidance materials that result from this 
process receive the broadest possible distribution.

DATES: Written comments must be received on or before May 19, 1998. The 
meeting will be held on April 22, 1998, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

ADDRESSES: An electronic version of the FSIS guidance document is 
available online at FSIS' homepage at http://www.usda.gov/fsis. 
Guidance materials made available to FSIS prior to the meeting also 
will be available at this address. Hard copies of the FSIS document are 
available from the FSIS Docket Clerk in the FSIS Docket Room, Room 102, 
Cotton Annex, 300 12th Street, SW, Washington, DC 20250-3700 from 8:30 
a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. The public meeting will be 
held at the Arlington Hilton and Towers, 950 North Stafford Street, 
Arlington, VA; telephone (703) 528-6000. The hotel is located next to 
the Ballston Metro station. To register for the meeting, contact Ms. 
Mary Gioglio at (202) 501-7244 or 501-7136 or FAX to 501-7642. Persons 
requiring a sign language interpreter or other special accommodations 
should notify Ms. Gioglio by April 15, 1998.

COMMENTS: Send comments on the FSIS guidance document to FSIS Docket 
Clerk, Docket No. 98-004N, at the above address. Comments will be 
available for public inspection in the FSIS Docket Room during the 
above-stated hours.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. William J. Hudnall, Assistant 
Deputy Administrator, Office of Policy, Program Development, and 
Evaluation, at (202) 205-0495.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: As a result of recent product recalls 
involving E. coli 0157:H7, FSIS has prepared guidance material to help 
beef grinding operations minimize the risk of, and potential effects 
associated with, E. coli 0157:H7 and other microbial pathogens in raw 
ground beef and other raw products. This material should prove 
particularly useful to small establishments developing Hazard Analysis 
and Critical Control Point (HACCP) plans during the next 2 years.
    The guidance material includes recommendations for receiving raw 
product; storing raw product; the grinding process, including rework 
and risk-based product separation; packaging, cooling, and storage; 
shipping, handling, and distribution; recordkeeping; and food safety 
education. FSIS also solicits comments on how best to ensure that the 
guidance materials that result from this process receive as broad 
distribution as possible.

    Done at Washington, DC, on March 12, 1998.
Thomas J. Billy,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 98-7192 Filed 3-19-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-DM-P