Food Safety Agencies Announce Public Meeting to Discuss Foodborne Illness

(USDA) – Food Safety Agencies Announce Public Meeting to Discuss Foodborne Illness Attribution Estimates; Workgroup and Draft Strategic Plan Also to be Unveiled

Congressional and Public Affairs

Richard J. McIntire

(202) 720-9113

WASHINGTON, Dec. 29, 2011 — The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) today announced a public meeting to discuss federal efforts to enhance food safety strategies through the improved use and characterization of foodborne illness source attribution. The meeting will be held in Washington, D.C. on Jan. 31, 2012.

The purpose of the daylong meeting will be to discuss federal approaches to food source attribution and outline efforts to develop harmonized food source attribution fractions to inform food safety strategies. The meeting also will be used to review a draft Strategic Plan developed by the Interagency Food Safety Analytics Collaboration (IFSAC), which was formed this year to increase collaboration on analytic projects.

Due to limited space, persons wishing to attend are encouraged to register in advance. Advance registration closes on Jan. 25, 2012. Electronic registration can be completed online at: www.fsis.usda.gov/News_&_Events/meetings_&_events. The deadline to register to make public comments during the meeting is Jan. 9, 2012.

The meeting will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 4p.m., Jan. 31, 2012, at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s South Building Cafeteria, 14th & Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250. (Non-USDA employees should enter through wing 2, located at 12th and C Street, S.W. and must provide a photo identification to enter the building.)

Questions regarding registration, should be directed to: Courtney Treece of Planning Professionals, Ltd., 1210 W. McDermott, Suite 111, Allen, Texas 75013, 704-258-4983, e-mail: ctreece@planningprofessionals.com. For general information, requests to make an oral presentation, or to request special accommodations due to a disability, contact: Juanita Yates, FDA, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, 240-402-1731, e-mail: juanita.yates@fda.hhs.gov, or Joan Lindenberger at FSIS at 202-720-6755.

For more information about IFSAC’s recent activities, visit: www.fda.gov/AdvisoryCommittees/

CommitteesMeetingMaterials/

RiskCommunicationAdvisoryCommittee/ucm249108.htm.

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