Proposed Rule2024-27280
Salmonella Framework for Raw Poultry Products
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
November 22, 2024
Issuing agencies
Agriculture DepartmentFood Safety and Inspection Service
Abstract
FSIS is hosting two virtual public meetings to give stakeholders an opportunity to present their views on and discuss the Salmonella Framework for Raw Poultry Products proposed rule and proposed determination. The first meeting will focus on the proposed final product standards under Component Three of the proposed Framework. The second meeting will focus on Component Two's proposed regulatory amendments to enhance establishment process control monitoring and will also address additional aspects of the proposed Salmonella Framework raised by stakeholders. FSIS is holding these public meetings to solicit stakeholder views on the proposed Salmonella Framework and to facilitate dialogue among stakeholders and the Agency.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 89 Issue 226 (Friday, November 22, 2024)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 226 (Friday, November 22, 2024)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 92607-92608]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2024-27280]
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Proposed Rules
Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains notices to the public of
the proposed issuance of rules and regulations. The purpose of these
notices is to give interested persons an opportunity to participate in
the rule making prior to the adoption of the final rules.
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Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 226 / Friday, November 22, 2024 /
Proposed Rules
[[Page 92607]]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food Safety and Inspection Service
9 CFR Part 381
[Docket No. FSIS-2023-0028]
RIN 0583-AD96
Salmonella Framework for Raw Poultry Products
AGENCY: Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), U.S. Department of
Agriculture (USDA).
ACTION: Notification of public meetings.
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SUMMARY: FSIS is hosting two virtual public meetings to give
stakeholders an opportunity to present their views on and discuss the
Salmonella Framework for Raw Poultry Products proposed rule and
proposed determination. The first meeting will focus on the proposed
final product standards under Component Three of the proposed
Framework. The second meeting will focus on Component Two's proposed
regulatory amendments to enhance establishment process control
monitoring and will also address additional aspects of the proposed
Salmonella Framework raised by stakeholders. FSIS is holding these
public meetings to solicit stakeholder views on the proposed Salmonella
Framework and to facilitate dialogue among stakeholders and the Agency.
DATES: The virtual public meetings will be held on Tuesday, December 3,
2024, from 1 p.m.-4 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST) and Thursday,
December 5, 2024, from 1 p.m.-4 p.m. EST.
ADDRESSES: The meetings will be virtual and will be viewed via the
Teams link provided by email when you register for the meetings.
Attendees must be pre-registered for the meetings. See the pre-
registration instructions under ``Registration and Meeting Materials.''
Written comments on the Salmonella Framework for Raw Poultry
Products Proposed Rule and Proposed Determination may be submitted by
one of the following methods:
<bullet> Federal eRulemaking Portal: This website provides the
ability to type short comments directly into the comment field on this
web page or attach a file for lengthier comments. Go to: <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a>. Follow the on-line instructions at that site for
submitting comments.
<bullet> Mail: Send to Docket Clerk, U.S. Department of
Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service, 1400 Independence
Avenue SW, Mailstop 3758, Washington, DC 20250-3700.
<bullet> Hand- or courier-delivered submittals: Deliver to 1400
Independence Avenue SW, Jamie L. Whitten Building, Room 350-E,
Washington, DC 20250-3700.
Instructions: All items submitted by mail or electronic mail must
include the Agency name and docket number FSIS-2023-0028. Comments
received in response to this docket will be made available for public
inspection and posted without change, including any personal
information, to <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a>.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Julie Lastra, Director Internal
Affairs by telephone at (202) 731-4584 or email at
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#6b211e07020e45270a181f190a2b1e180f0a450c041d"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="2b615e47424e05674a585f594a6b5e584f4a054c445d">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
FSIS is the public health agency in USDA whose mission is to ensure
that meat, poultry, and egg products are safe, wholesome, and properly
labeled and packaged. In October 2022, FSIS published a Salmonella
Framework document, a precursor to a proposed rule and determination,
which shared the agency's thinking on an alternative approach to
reducing Salmonella contamination in raw poultry and related
illnesses.\1\ The Framework document was informed by months of
information-gathering and discussions with a wide range of
stakeholders, researchers, and scientists. On August 7, 2024, FSIS
published the Salmonella Framework for Raw Poultry Products proposed
rule and proposed determination (89 FR 64678), which, if finalized,
would constitute a new strategy to control Salmonella in poultry
products. The proposed rule and determination consist of three
components. Component One focuses on a non-regulatory approach for
mitigating the risk of introducing Salmonella into the processing
establishment.
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\1\ Proposed Regulatory Framework to Salmonella Illnesses
Attributable to Poultry. Available at: <a href="https://www.fsis.usda.gov/inspection/inspection-programs/inspection-poultry-products/reducing-salmonella-poultry/proposed">https://www.fsis.usda.gov/inspection/inspection-programs/inspection-poultry-products/reducing-salmonella-poultry/proposed</a>.
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Component Two of the proposal would revise the regulations in 9 CFR
381.65(g) and (h) that require that all poultry slaughter
establishments develop, implement, and maintain written procedures to
prevent contamination by enteric pathogens throughout the entire
slaughter and dressing operation and maintain records documenting those
procedures. FSIS is proposing to amend these regulations to establish
new requirements pertaining to how establishments monitor and document
whether their processes for preventing microbial contamination are in
control. The proposed revisions are intended to clarify existing
regulatory requirements related to process control monitoring in 9 CFR
381.65(g) and (h). Under this proposal, establishments would be
required to incorporate statistical process control (SPC) monitoring
principles into their microbial monitoring programs (MMPs).
Component Three of the proposed Framework would establish final
product standards that would define whether certain raw poultry
products contaminated with a certain Salmonella level and particular
serotypes are adulterated as defined in the Poultry Products Inspection
Act (PPIA) (21 U.S.C. 451 et seq.). The Salmonella level and serotypes
in the proposed final product standards were informed by two peer-
reviewed quantitative risk assessments developed by FSIS--one for
Salmonella in chicken and one for Salmonella in turkey \2\--and a
thorough review of multiple FSIS efforts initiated to inform the
proposal, including scientific information provided at a February 2022
research and science roundtable,\3\ stakeholder input received at a
November 2022 virtual public
[[Page 92608]]
meeting,\4\ a 2023 National Advisory Committee on Microbiological
Criteria for Food (NACMCF) report,\5\ and an externally peer-reviewed
2023 risk profile.\6\ The proposed final product standards would apply
to raw chicken carcasses, chicken parts, comminuted chicken, and
comminuted turkey. As stated in the proposal, FSIS has tentatively
determined that these products are adulterated if they contain any type
of Salmonella at or above 10 colony forming units/per milliliter or
gram (10 cfu/mL(g)) in analytical portion (i.e., mL of rinsate or gram
of product) and contain any detectable level of at least one of the
Salmonella serotypes of public health significance identified for that
commodity. The proposed Salmonella serotypes of public health
significance identified for raw chicken carcasses, chicken parts, and
comminuted chicken are Enteritidis, Typhimurium, and I 4,[5],12:i:-,
and for raw comminuted turkey are Hadar, Typhimurium, and Muenchen.
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\2\ Quantitative Risk Assessment for Salmonella in Raw Chicken
and Chicken Products and Quantitative Risk Assessment for Salmonella
in Raw Turkey and Turkey Products available at: <a href="https://www.fsis.usda.gov/science-data/risk-assessments/poultry-risk-assessment-files-salmonella-framework">https://www.fsis.usda.gov/science-data/risk-assessments/poultry-risk-assessment-files-salmonella-framework</a>.
\3\ Salmonella in Poultry: Research and Science Roundtable.
Available at: <a href="https://www.fsis.usda.gov/news-events/events-meetings/salmonella-poultry-research-and-science-roundtable">https://www.fsis.usda.gov/news-events/events-meetings/salmonella-poultry-research-and-science-roundtable</a>.
\4\ Public Meeting on Reducing Salmonella in Poultry available
at: <a href="https://www.fsis.usda.gov/news-events/events-meetings/public-meeting-reducing-salmonella-poultry">https://www.fsis.usda.gov/news-events/events-meetings/public-meeting-reducing-salmonella-poultry</a>.
\5\ NACMR final report: Response to Questions Posed by the Food
Safety and Inspection Service: Enhancing Salmonella Control in
Poultry Products (March 13, 2023). Available at: <a href="https://www.fsis.usda.gov/policy/advisory-committees/national-advisory-committee-microbiological-criteria-foods-nacmcf/2021">https://www.fsis.usda.gov/policy/advisory-committees/national-advisory-committee-microbiological-criteria-foods-nacmcf/2021</a>.
\6\ Risk Profile for Pathogenic Salmonella in Poultry available
at: <a href="https://www.regulations.gov/docket/FSIS-2023-0028">https://www.regulations.gov/docket/FSIS-2023-0028</a>.
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In the proposal, FSIS requested comments on various aspects of all
three Components in the proposed Salmonella Framework. The comment
period was originally scheduled to close on October 7, 2024, but was
extended until January 17, 2025.\7\
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\7\ FSIS Constituent Update--October 11, 2024; FSIS Extends
Comment Period on Proposed Salmonella Framework for Raw Poultry
Products. Available at: <a href="https://www.fsis.usda.gov/news-events/news-press-releases/constituent-update-october-11-2024">https://www.fsis.usda.gov/news-events/news-press-releases/constituent-update-october-11-2024</a>.
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Public Meetings
FSIS is announcing that it will hold two virtual public meetings
during the open comment period. The first meeting will be held on
Tuesday, December 3, 2024, from 1 p.m.-4 p.m. EST, and will focus on
the final product standards under Component Three. The second will be
held on Thursday, December 5, 2024, from 1 p.m.-4 p.m. EST, and will
focus on the enhanced process control monitoring provisions under
Component Two and any additional issues raised by stakeholders on the
proposed Framework. The purpose of the meetings is to give stakeholders
an opportunity to present their views on certain aspects of the
proposed Salmonella Framework and to facilitate discussion among
stakeholders and the agency. An agenda will be published online before
the public meetings. FSIS will finalize the agenda on or before the
meeting dates and post it on the FSIS website for the December 3, 2024
meeting at: <a href="https://www.fsis.usda.gov/news-events/events-meetings/product-standards-and-salmonella-framework-raw-poultry-products">https://www.fsis.usda.gov/news-events/events-meetings/product-standards-and-salmonella-framework-raw-poultry-products</a> and the
December 5, 2024 meeting at: <a href="https://www.fsis.usda.gov/news-events/events-meetings/process-control-monitoring-and-salmonella-framework-raw-poultry">https://www.fsis.usda.gov/news-events/events-meetings/process-control-monitoring-and-salmonella-framework-raw-poultry</a>.
Registration and Meeting Materials
There is no fee to register for the meetings, but pre-registration
is mandatory for participants attending. All attendees must register
online by visiting the event page for the December 3, 2024 meeting at:
<a href="https://www.fsis.usda.gov/news-events/events-meetings/product-standards-and-salmonella-framework-raw-poultry-products">https://www.fsis.usda.gov/news-events/events-meetings/product-standards-and-salmonella-framework-raw-poultry-products</a> and the
December 5, 2024 meeting at: <a href="https://www.fsis.usda.gov/news-events/events-meetings/process-control-monitoring-and-salmonella-framework-raw-poultry">https://www.fsis.usda.gov/news-events/events-meetings/process-control-monitoring-and-salmonella-framework-raw-poultry</a>. After registering, they will receive an email
acknowledging their registration. Stakeholders interested in presenting
their views on a particular topic must notify FSIS when they register
and must submit a brief description of the information they would like
to present. Stakeholders interested in presenting must register by
November 26, 2024. FSIS will review the stakeholder submissions and
extend invitations for selected stakeholders to speak at the meetings.
The Agency's goal is to have presentations from a wide variety of
stakeholders, including industry, consumer groups, and academia. FSIS
will provide time for the stakeholders in the larger audience to
provide input and ask the presenting stakeholders questions. Attendees
that do not plan to speak at the meetings may register at any time up
to the day of the meeting.
Transcripts
As soon as the meeting transcripts are available, they will be
accessible on the FSIS website for the December 3, 2024 meeting at:
<a href="https://www.fsis.usda.gov/news-events/events-meetings/product-standards-and-salmonella-framework-raw-poultry-products">https://www.fsis.usda.gov/news-events/events-meetings/product-standards-and-salmonella-framework-raw-poultry-products</a> and the
December 5, 2024 meeting at: <a href="https://www.fsis.usda.gov/news-events/events-meetings/process-control-monitoring-and-salmonella-framework-raw-poultry">https://www.fsis.usda.gov/news-events/events-meetings/process-control-monitoring-and-salmonella-framework-raw-poultry</a>.
USDA Non-Discrimination Statement
In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of
Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, USDA, its
Mission Areas, agencies, staff offices, employees, and institutions
participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from
discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex,
gender identity (including gender expression), sexual orientation,
disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived
from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or
retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity
conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs).
Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident.
Program information may be made available in languages other than
English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of
communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large
print, audiotape, American Sign Language) should contact the
responsible Mission Area, agency, or staff office; the USDA TARGET
Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY); or the Federal Relay Service
at (800) 877-8339.
To file a program discrimination complaint, a complainant should
complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form,
which can be obtained online at <a href="https://www.usda.gov/forms/electronic-forms">https://www.usda.gov/forms/electronic-forms</a>, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a
letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant's
name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the
alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the
Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date
of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or
letter must be submitted to USDA by:
(1) Mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant
Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC
20250-9410; or
(2) Fax: (833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or
(3) Email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#4b3b39242c392a266522253f2a202e0b3e382f2a652c243d"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="eb9b99848c998a86c582859f8a808eab9e988f8ac58c849d">[email protected]</span></a>.
USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.
Paul Kiecker,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2024-27280 Filed 11-21-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-DM-P
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