The USDA-FSIS has reopened the comment period on a notice published in the May 15, 2000 Federal Register requesting comments on a petition received by several trade associations asking FSIS to amend sections of its HACCP regulations.

The petitioners argued that the changes would increase the effectiveness of establishments' HAACP systems and would make the regulations more consistent with HACCP principles published in 1997 by the National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Food. The petition was submitted with no data or examples to support the requests, however.

The FSIS received a request from the National Advisory Committee on Meat and Poultry Inspection to extend the comment period to allow the petitioners more time to provide examples and data to support their recommendations. The committee also requested that the FSIS make available a set of side-by-side documents discussing definitions, principles, and procedures of the FSIS, FDA, National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Food, and the Codex Alimentarius Commission's HAACP procedures.

Comments must be received by Sept 12.

Side-by-side documents can be viewed at www.fsis.usda.gov.

Submit comments and two copies to FSIS Docket Room, Docket 00-014E, Room 102 Cotton Annex Bldg, 300 12th Street SW, Washington, DC 20250-3700.

For further information, contact Daniel L. Engeljohn, Director, Regulations Development and Analysis Division, Food Safety and Inspection Service, Washington, DC 20250-3700; (202) 720-5627; fax (202) 690-0486.