The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Office of Food Safety, and the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Office of Nutrition, Labeling and Dietary Supplements is holding a public meeting to provide information and receive public comments on agenda items, as well as to draft U.S. positions to be discussed at the 33rd Session of the Codex Alimentarius Committee on Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses (CCNFSDU). The CCNFSDU will meet in Bad Soden am Taunus, Germany from Nov. 14 through Nov. 18.

The public meeting will be held on Oct. 20, from 1 to 4 p.m. in the Harvey Wiley Building, FDA, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, (CFSAN), 5100 Paint Branch Parkway, Room 1A-003 College Park, Md., 20740.

The following items will be discussed during the public meeting:
• Discuss drafting a revision for guidelines regarding essential nutrients in foods
• Proposed Draft Revision of the Guidelines on Formulated Supplementary Foods for Older Infants and Young Children
• Proposed Draft Amendment of the Standard for Processed Cereal-Based Foods for Infants and Young Children to include a New Part B for Underweight Children
• Any matters referred to the CCNFSDU by the Codex Alimentarius Commission and/or other Codex Committees

Documents and agenda items related to the 33rd Session of the CCNFSDU will be accessible at the Codex Web site at www.codexalimentarius.net/current.asp.

Codex was established in 1963 by two United Nations organizations (the Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Health Organization). Through adoption of food standards, codes of practice and other guidelines developed by its committees, and by promoting their adoption and implementation by governments, Codex seeks to protect the health of consumers and ensure fair practices in the food trade.

For more information about the 33rd Session of the CCNFSDU and the public meeting, contact Nancy Crane, Senior Advisor to the U.S. CCNFSDU Delegate, Office of Nutrition, Labeling and Dietary Supplements, CFSAN (HFS-830), FDA, 5100 Paint Branch Parkway, College Park, Md. 20740, telephone: (240) 402-1450, fax: (301) 436-2636 or email Nancy: nancy.crane@fda.hhs.gov

Written comments (on the public meeting) may be offered at the meeting or sent by e mail to the U.S. Delegate for the 33rd Session of the CCNFSDU, Barbara Schneeman, Ph.D., at ccnfsdu@fda.hhs.gov. Written comments should state that they relate to activities of the 33rd Session of the CCNFSDU.