RAC Meeting Minutes (May 31, 2001)
Annual meeting
USDA/ERS 1800 M Street, NW
South Tower, 3rd floor, Waugh room B
Key outcomes of the meeting:
A new RAC work group will be formed. The work group will
pick a project to initiate next fiscal year (FY 2002). The work
group will be called Aggregate Dietary Exposures (ADE). The goal
is to expand RAC projects beyond microbiological food borne risks
to include other food borne risks.
USAID has joined the RAC. Two representatives from USAID attended the meeting.
The RAC will host the 1st International Conference on Microbiological Risk Assessment. For details on the scope and current plans for this meeting please refer to the prospectus.
Representatives updates:
Carol Maczka is the new FSIS technical rep., replacing Peg Coleman
who will continue to be involved in RAC work groups.
Nicole Ballenger (ERS) will occasionally be filling in for policy
council rep. Steve Crutchfield.
Norris Alderson is now Acting Senior Advisor for Science for FDA,
so Gregg Claycamp will be the new CVM policy council rep.
Each RAC member gave a 3 minute update about activities at their
agency.
In brief:
OWH Peg Miller- OWH has a host of research projects http://www.fda.gov/womens/scienceprogram/report2000/tablecontents.htm
ORD Vivian Turner- ORD is working with RFF (Resources for the
Future)
Steve Johnson and the acting head of ORD are developing a dioxin
communication document.
USAID Sebastain Heath for Ivor Knight- USAID has a Partnership for Food Industry Development Program. USAID is interested in RA to help foreign developing countries comply with WTO/SPS.
NCFST David Armstrong-
NCFST has a task force looking at Listeria in retail products.
EPA/OPPTS Eileen Choffnes-EPA has come out with their 3rd RA of
dioxin.
EPA is sponsoring a half-day symposium at American Phytopathological
on the topic of anti-microbials as pesticides and registering antibiotics
as pesticides.
CDC Emilio Esteban-Vaz- CDC is working with PAHO to develop a
network of epidemiologists throughout Latin America. (Emilio mentions
that USAID may be interested)
CDC is working on an Environmental Health Specialist Network (EHSN)-
NCFST may be interested in this.
NIH Dennis Lang-
NIH researchers are working on the infectious etiology of chronic
disease (Crohn's disease, possible etiological link to food)
CFSAN Dick Whiting- Listeria RA public comment period has been extended again.
EPA/OW Steve Schaub-
Sept. 4-5 region 3 EPA will sponsor a workshop on emerging pathogens.
The CCL list of microbial pathogens of concern for drinking water
includes: helicobacter pylori, aeromonas sp., mycobacterium avium
complex, microsporidia, coxsackie and ECHO viruses, adenoviruses
40-41, and caliciviruses, plus the cyanobacteria (blue green
algae) & toxins.
Marianne Miliotis (CFSAN) The Vibrio RA public comment period
has been extended. Food Safety Research: Availability of Cooperative
Agreements
http://first.fda.gov/fedreg/01/oc0186.txt
NCTR Angelo Turturro
Summary of NCTR Research Accomplishments and Plans - FY 2000-2001 can be
found at: http://intranet.nctr.fda.gov/planning/documents/01resplan/html/Index.htm
APHIS Rob McDowell-
APHIS is writing a policy paper examining all their activities
that relate to food safety, and what can APHIS contribute to
activities on the farm?
USDA/CSREES Mary Torrence- Mary has proposed to CSREES that they include funding for RA projects in their grant programs (20 or 30 million, see if it comes through).
VSA- Bob Webb- Health Risk Communication training page:
https://chppm-cims.apgea.army.mil/hrcext/
(https is not a typo)
List of Army approved vendors:
http://vets.amedd.army.mil/dodvsa/index.html (click on "food safety" then "DoD
approved services")
10:45-11:00: Discussion of whether there is any information the RAC should provide to NAS/IOM for their review of the FSIS E. coli O157:H7 Risk Assessment.
11:00-11:30: Discussion 2001-2002 annual plan
The RAC annual public meeting will be held in conjunction with
the 1st International Conference for Microbiological Risk Assessment.
11:30-12:00: The prospectus for the microbial risk assessment framework project that the MRAF work group is undertaking was presented to the group. MRAF elements from ILSI and CODEX documents were outlined.
Policy Council meeting
RAC year in review:
1:00-1:15: Bob Buchanan and Karen Hulebak, Introductions
1:15-1:25: Audrey Ichida, review of visits to RAC agenices.
1:25-1:35: Wes Long, RAC updates (Data Quality public meeting, grants)
1:35-1:45: Wendy Fineblum, review of Clearinghouse activities and plans
1:45-1:55: Lauren Posnick, review of Cryptosporidium dose-response meeting
Current and Upcoming:
1:55-2:05: Steve Schaub, Wes Long and Audrey Ichida, MRA workgroup
prospectus
2:05-2:35: Wes Long, Present RAC 2001-2002 annual plan and prospectus 1st International Microbial Risk Assessment Conference
The annual plan was discussed and several changes were suggested
and incorporated.
To view the FY2002 annual plan please click here.
Attendees: (* via phone)
Technical meeting:
David Armstrong
Mary Bartholomew*
Eileen Choffnes
Peg Coleman*
Emilio Esteban-Vaz
Sebastian Heath
Audrey Ichida
Dennis Lang
Wes Long
Michael McElvaine*
Marianna Miliotis
Peg Miller*
Tom Oscar*
Steve Schaub
Mary Torrence
Vivian Turner*
Angelo Turturro
Richard Whiting
Policy Council meeting:
David Armstrong
Mary Bartholomew*
Bob Bunchanan
Eileen Choffnes
Steve Crutchfield
Emilio Esteban-Vaz
Wendy Fineblum
Spencer Garrett*
Jerry Gillespie
Karen Hulebak
Audrey Ichida
Ralph Kodell*
Dennis Lang
Jim Lindsay*
Wes Long
Robert McDowell
Michael McElvaine*
Marianna Miliotis
Tom Oscar*
Larry Paulson
Lauren Posnick
Angela Ruple*
Steve Schaub
Mary Torrence
Vivian Turner*
Angelo Turturro
Robert Webb
Richard Whiting
Agencies represented:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (DHHS/CDC)
Veterinary Service Activity (DOD/VSA)
Office of Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic Substances (EPA/OPPTS)
Office of Research and Development (EPA/ORD)
Office of Water (EPA/OW)
Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (DHHS/FDA/CFSAN)
Center for Veterinary Medicine (DHHS/FDA/CVM)
National Center for Food Safety and Technology (NCFST)
National Center for Toxicological Research (DHHS/FDA/NCTR)
Office of Women's Health (DHHS/FDA/OWH)
National Institutes of Health (DHHS/NIH)
Joint Institute for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (JIFSAN)
National Marine Fisheries Service (DOC/NMFS)
United States Agency for International Development (USAID/G/EGAD/AFS)
Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA/APHIS)
Agricultural Research Service (USDA/ARS)
Cooperative State Research, Education, & Extension Service
(USDA/CSREES)
Economic Research Service (USDA/ERS)
Food Safety Inspection Service (USDA/FSIS)
Office of Risk Assessment and Cost Benefit Analysis (USDA/ORACBA)
