Domestic Outreach Public Meetings

Federal Register Announcement October 7, 2004

Egg Safety: Proposed Rule for Prevention of Salmonella Enteritidis in Shell Eggs During Production

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Goals:

• To provide an overview of FDA's proposed rule for prevention of Salmonella Enteritidis (SE) in shell eggs during production;
• To solicit public comments on the proposed rule; and
• Provide the public an opportunity to ask questions.

Background:  FDA is proposing measures to prevent Salmonella Enteritidis (SE) contamination of shell eggs during egg production. The motivation for this proposal is a farm-to-table risk assessment of SE in eggs which identified implementation of on-farm prevention measures as a very important step that could reduce the occurrence of SE infections from eggs. While voluntary quality assurance (QA) programs for egg production have led to meaningful reductions in SE illnesses, these programs are not always uniformly administered or uniformly comprehensive in their prevention measures.

Moreover, the most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that SE illnesses have essentially remained steady for the past several years. CDC estimated that 118,000 illnesses were caused by consumption of SE-contaminated eggs in 2001. Accordingly, FDA believes that further actions to improve egg safety--building upon the safe consumer handling labeling and egg refrigeration at retail rule of 2000--are the most effective way to achieve our public health goals of a 50% reduction in overall salmonellosis and a 50% reduction in SE outbreaks by 2010.

How to Register: Please submit your registration information (including name, title, firm name, address, telephone number, e-mail address, and fax number) at least 7 workdays before the meeting date. We encourage you to register on-line or by fax at (202) 479-6801. We will accept registration on-site. Space is limited and registration will be closed at each site when maximum seating capacity for that site is reached. If you need special accommodations due to a disability, please notify Marion Allen at (301) 436-1584 at least 7 workdays in advance of the meeting. All participants must present a valid photo ID when entering a federal building and parking facility.   

Attendees are encouraged to present their comments, concerns, and recommendations regarding the proposed rule at the public meeting. Attendees wishing to make a presentation will be allowed 5 minutes each.  Please indicate when registering if you wish to make a presentation. Individuals and organizations that do not pre-register to make a presentation may have the opportunity to speak if time permits. While oral presentations from specific individuals and organizations will be limited during the public meeting, the written comments submitted as part of the administrative record may contain a discussion of any issues of concern. All relevant data and documentation should be submitted with the written comments.

If you are interested in attending one of the meetings listed, you can register on-line or fax your information to (202) 479-6801.

Meeting Locations:

Registration Form

ALL MEETINGS ARE SCHEDULED FROM 9:00AM - 1:00PM (Registration will begin at 8:00am)

Thursday, October 28, 2004 - College Park, MD
Harvey W. Wiley Federal Building - Auditorium
5100 Paint Branch Parkway
College Park, MD

Tuesday, November 9, 2004 - Chicago, IL
Chicago Marriott Downtown Magnificent Mile
540 North Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
Phone: 1-312-836-0100  

Thursday, November 16, 2004 - Los Angeles, CA
Los Angeles Airport Marriott
5855 West Century Blvd, Los Angeles, CA  90045, USA
Phone: 1-310-641-5700

Agenda

9:00am - 9:05am	Welcome & Introduction Dr. Robert Brackett, Director Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN) FDA
9:05am - 9:15am	Opening Remarks Dr. Lester Crawford, Acting Commissioner Food and Drug Administration
9:15am - 9:30am	Overview of Public Meeting Louis Carson, Deputy Director Food Safety and Security Staff FDA/CFSAN
9:30am - 10:00am	CDC SE Human Illness/outbreak Presentation National Surveillance for Salmonella Enteritidis Cases and Outbreaks (Slide Presentation) Dr. Christopher Braden, Medical Epidemiologist Division of Bacterial and Mycotic Diseases National Center for Infectious Diseases Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
10:00am - 10:45am	Presentation of FDA's Proposed Rule FDA's Proposed Rule for Prevention of SE in Shell Eggs During Production (Slide Presentation) Nancy Bufano Office of Plant & Dairy Foods Division of Dairy & Egg Safety FDA/CFSAN
10:45am - 11:15am	FDA and CDC Panel: Stakeholder Questions & Answers
11:15am - 11:30am	Break
11:30am - 12:45pm	Stakeholders Public Statements
12:45pm - 1:00pm	Closing Remarks/Adjourn Louis Carson, FDA