August 22, 2005

A Collaborative Initiative to Secure the Nation's Food Supply

The FDA, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) have announced a new collaboration with states and private industry to protect the nation's food supply from terrorist threats. This new collaboration, the Strategic Partnership Program Agroterrorism (SPPA) Initiative, is a joint effort to assess and identify vulnerabilities in the agricultural and food sectors.

FDA is seeking Industry, State agriculture and public health volunteers to assess transportation potential threats for FDA-regulated commodities from harvest, production, processing, retail, warehousing and supplies

Together, the federal, state and private industry partners will discuss food security issues from farm-to-table and consider ways to better protect the food supply. These efforts will help all partners better consider how to protect the food supply and gain more information about the food industry's protection needs. Ultimately, the SPPA is intended to provide government and private industry the tools to refine its efforts and to seek better technology or steps to protect the food and agriculture infrastructure from research and development.

Additional information about SPPA, contact information and how to volunteer using the SPPA Response Form, can be found on the Food Safety and Terrorism page on FDA's website.

Safe Use of Ionizing Radiation for Fresh or Frozen Molluscan Shellfish

FDA issued a final rule -- effective August 16, 2005 -- to amend its food additive regulation to allow for the safe use of ionizing radiation for control of Vibrio species and other foodborne pathogens in fresh or frozen molluscan shellfish (e.g., oysters, mussels, clams, etc.). This action was taken in response to a food additive petition filed by the National Fisheries Institute and the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry.

In finalizing the rule, FDA fully considered the data and studies submitted in the petition as well as other data and information relevant to safety. In evaluating the safety of a source of radiation to treat food intended for human consumption, FDA identified the various effects that may result from irradiating the food and assessed whether any of these effects pose a public health concern. In its safety evaluation FDA considered (1) potential toxicity, (2) nutritional adequacy, and (3) potential microbiological risk from the treated food.

Any person who will be adversely affected by this regulation can submit a written or electronic objection and request for a hearing by September 15, 2005 by any of the following methods:

• Federal eRulemaking Portal.
• FDA web site: Dockets Open for Comment.
• E-mail: . Include Docket No. 1999F-4372 in the subject line of your e-mail message.
• FAX: 301-827-6870
• Mail/Hand delivery/Courier [For paper, disk, or CD-ROM submissions]: Division of Dockets Management (HFA-305), Food and Drug Administration, 5630 Fishers Lane, Room. 1061, Rockville, MD 20852.

All submissions must include FDA's name and docket number (Docket No. 1999F-4372) for this rulemaking. All objections received will be posted without change to Dockets Management, including any personal information provided.

For further information, contact Lane A. Highbarger, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (HFS-255), Food and Drug Administration, 5100 Paint Branch Pkwy., College Park, MD 20740, 301-436-1204.