. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/SPS/N/USA/124
9 June 1998
(98-2333)
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures
NOTIFICATION
1. Member to Agreement notifying: :  UNITED STATES
If applicable, name of local government involved:
2. Agency responsible:  Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service and
the US Food and Drug Administration
3. Products covered (tariff item number(s) as specified in national schedules deposited
with the WTO.  ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):  Eggs
4. Title and number of pages of the notified document:  Salmonella Enteritidis in Eggs
5. Description of content:  Eggs contaminated with Salmonella Enteritidis (SE) are associated
with significant numbers of human illnesses and continue to be a public health concern.  SE
infected flocks have become prevalent throughout the country, and large numbers of
illnesses have been attributed to consumption of mishandled SE-contaminated eggs.  As a
result, there have been requests for Federal action to improve egg safety.  The Food Safety
and Inspection Service (FSIS) and Food and th e Drug Administration (FDA) share federal
regulatory responsibility for egg safety.  However, regulation of shell eggs is primarily the
responsibility of FDA.  Through joint issuance of this notice FSIS and FDA are seeking to
identify farm-to-table actions that will decrease the food safety risks associated with shell
eggs.  The agencies want to explore all reasonable alternatives and gather data on the public
benefits and the public costs of various regulatory approaches before proposing a farm-to-
table food safety system for shell eggs.  Interested persons are requested to comment on thealternatives discussed in this advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPR), suggest other
possible approaches, and provide information that will help the agencies weigh the merits of
all alternatives.  In addition to the actions co ntemplated in this ANPR, both agencies are
planning to take actions that address adoption of refrigeration and labelling requirements
that are designed to reduce the risk of foodborne illness.
6. Objective and rationale:  Health and food safety
7. An international standard, guideline or recommendation does not exist [ X ].
If an international standard, guideline or  recommendation exists, whenever possible,
identify deviations:G/SPS/N/USA/124
Page 2
8. Relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:  63 FR 27502,
19 May 1998 (available in English, 11 pages);  7 CFR Part 59 and 21 CFR Part 100.
9. Proposed date of adoption:  To be determined
10. Proposed date of entry into force:   To be determined
11. Final date for comments:  17 August 1998
Agency or authority designated to handle comments:
Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA
Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, FDA
12. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [     ] or address, telefax number and
E-mail address (if available) of other body:
United States SPS Enquiry Point
USDA/FAS/FSTSDAttn:  Carolyn F. Wilson
Room 5545 South Agriculture Building
Stop 1027
1400 Independence Avenue, S.W.
Washington, D.C.  20250
Phone  (202) 720-2239
Fax:  (202) 690-0677
E-mail address:  ofsts@fas.usda.gov