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National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods
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The National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods (NACMCF) was established on March 18, 1988,
under Departmental Regulation 1043-28, in response to recommendations of the National Academy of Sciences for an
interagency approach to microbiological criteria for food, and of the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on
Appropriations, as expressed in the Rural Development, Agriculture, and Related Agencies Appropriation Bill for fiscal
1988. The NACMCF provides scientific advice and recommendations to the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of
Health and Human Services on public health issues relative to the safety and wholesomeness of the U.S. food supply,
including development of microbiological criteria and review and evaluation of epidemiological and risk assessment
data and methodologies for assessing microbiological hazards in foods.
The NACMCF is co-sponsored by the Food Safety and Inspection Service(FSIS),
the Food and Drug Administration (FDA),
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),
the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), and
the Department of Defense Veterinary Service Activity.
The activities of NACMCF are carried out, in part, by subcommittees that are focused on specific areas being considered by the
full Committee. Currently, there are three active subcommittees in the following work areas: microbiological performance
standards for meat and poultry; criteria for refrigerated shelf life based on safety; and scientific criteria for redefining
pasteurization.
NACMCF was instrumental in formulating and standardizing the principles of HACCP and NACMCF subcommittees have
developed microbiological criteria for specific foods such has raw shellfish, cooked ready to-eat-shrimp and crab meat.
NACMCF has issued food safety white papers on fresh produce and dairy standards with respect to the level of public
health protection offered by pasteurization. The Committee has evaluated performance standards with an emphasis on
ground beef and also on broilers, and is continuing work in this area on other meat commodities. NACMCF reports
provide current information and scientific advice to participating federal food safety agencies and can serve as
a foundation for regulations and programs aimed at reducing foodborne disease and enhancing public health.
To view recent and past reports, view the NACMCF Reports page.
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