The Food and Drug Administration has announced that it will hold two additional public meetings on its proposed rule “Focused Mitigation Strategies to Protect Food Against Intentional Adulteration.” 79 Fed. Reg. 5353 (Jan. 31, 2014).
On December 24, 2013, FDA published a proposed rule on food defense. 78 Fed. Reg. 78013. Under the proposed rule, domestic and foreign food facilities that are required to register with FDA, unless exempt, would be required to implement written food defense plans with focused mitigation strategies to protect food against intentional adulteration by acts of terrorism. The comment period for the proposed rule will end on March 31, 2014.
FDA will be holding three public meetings on the proposed rule:
Feb. 20, 2014: College Park, MD (FDA’s Harvey W. Wiley Federal Building), from 8:30 am – 3:00 pm
Feb. 27, 2014: Chicago, IL (Hilton Chicago), from 8:30 am – 2:30 pm
Mar. 13, 2014: Anaheim, CA (Sheraton Park Hotel), from 8:30 am – 2:30 pm
The purpose of the public meetings is to inform the public about the proposed rule and the rulemaking process, to respond to questions about the proposed rule, and to provide an opportunity for interested persons to make oral presentations on the proposed rule.
Because space is limited, early registration to attend the public meetings is recommended. You may register via email (nick.cane@nakamotogroup.com), fax (301-468-6536), phone (240-357-1176), or mail (Nick Cane, Nakamoto Group, Inc., 11820 Parklawn Dr., Suite 240, Rockville, MD 20852). Electronic registration is encouraged. Please include your name, title, firm name, address, and phone and fax numbers.
Requests to make an oral presentation must be submitted by the applicable deadline to: Juanita Yates, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, FDA, 5100 Paint Branch Parkway, College Park, MD 20740; phone: 240-402-1731; email: Juanita.Yates@fda.hhs.gov. Such requests must include your name, title, firm name, address, phone and fax numbers, and the full text, summary, or comprehensive outline of the planned oral presentation.
FDA will be live be Web casting the public meetings. In addition, transcripts and video recordings of the public meetings, once they are available, will be posted on FDA’s Food Safety Modernization Act website.
