. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/SPS/N/USA/671
9 January 2003
(03-0117)
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Original:  English
NOTIFICATION
1. Member to Agreement notifying:   UNITED STATES
If applicable, name of local government involved:
2. Agency responsible:   Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
3. Products covered (provide tariff item number(s) as specified in national schedules
deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers should be provided in addition, where
applicable):  Food items
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable:  All
U.S. trading partners
5. Title, language and number of pages of the notified document:  Guidance for Industry:
Interpretation of Filth from Pests in Foods (available in English, 2 pages).
6. Description of content:   FDA has issued a final guidance document, "Filth from Insects,
Rodents and Other Pests in Food (CPG 7120.18)."   This document is intended to provide
revised FDA guidance to FDA compliance staff and field investigators as well as to food
manufacturers, processors, packers and shippers for effectively interpreting filth from three
categories of pests:  vectors, indicato rs of insanitation and incidental pests.
7. Objective and rationale:  [  X ] food safety, [   ] animal health, [   ] plant protection,
[   ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or  disease, [   ] protect territory from other
damage from pests
8. International standard, gu ideline or recommendation:
[   ] Codex Alimentarius Commission, [   ] Office International des Epizooties,
[   ] International Plant Prot ection Convention, [ X ] None
If an international standard , guideline or recommendation exists, give the appropriate
reference and briefly identify deviations:
9. Relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:  Notice of availability
in 67 FR 71576 (available in English)
10. Proposed date of adoption:  This guidance is applicable upon publication.
11. Proposed date of entry into force:  This guidance is applicable upon publication.G/SPS/N/USA/671
Page 2
12. Final date for comments:  Submit written or electronic comments at any time.
Agency or authority designated to handle comments:  [   ] National notification
authority, [ X ] National enquiry point, or address, fax number and E-mail address (if
available) of other body:
Submit written comments on the document to the Dockets Management Branch (HFA-
305), Food and Drug Administration, 5630 Fishers Lane, rm. 1061, Rockville, MD 20852,U.S.A. It is possible to submit electronic comments to:
http://www.fda.gov/dockets/ecomments .  Submit comments by indicating DOCKET
No. 01D-0503 and TITLE Compliance Policy Guide:   "Filth From Insects, Rodents, and
Other Pests in Food";  Availability (Notice).
13. Texts available from:  [   ] National notification authority,  [ X ]  National enquiry point,
or address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of other body:
United States SPS Enquiry Point / Notification Point
Mr. William JanisU.S. Department of Agriculture
Stop 1027
Washington, DC 20250
Tel:  (202) 720-9047
Fax:  (202) 720-0677E-mail:  fstsd@usda.gov
Complete text can be also be found on the Internet
http://www.fda.gov/OHRMS/DOCKETS/98fr/121801b.htm by looking under DOCKET
No. 01D-0503 and at http://www.cfsan. fda.gov/~dms/guidance.html#sani