USDA Seeking New NACMCF Members to Review FSIS’ Listeria Regulatory Approach
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The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is soliciting nominations for membership to the National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods (NACMCF), aiming to appoint 30 committee members in 2025, who will be given the charge of reviewing USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service’s (FSIS’) regulatory approach for Listeria monocytogenes.
On December 17, 2024, USDA-FSIS expressed its intent to leverage the expertise of NACMCF to inform long-term policy changes regarding L. monocytogenes regulation, alongside the announcement of a number of other, significant changes to the Listeria rule, as well as its oversight of inspections for ready-to-eat (RTE) food facilities. These changes arose from an ongoing internal review of USDA-FSIS’s processes following a high-profile, fatal listeriosis outbreak linked to RTE deli meats produced at a chronically unhygienic and unsafe Boar’s Head facility. The review is ongoing and is likely to lead to more changes in the future.
Other work that NACMCF may be charged with in the 2025–2027 term includes food safety strategies for aged raw milk cheeses. NACMCF is currently addressing Cronobacter in powdered infant formula for FDA, as well as the benefits of genomic characterization of pathogens for FSIS.
For the NACMCF committee, USDA is seeking nominations from individuals with knowledge and expertise in microbiology, risk assessment, epidemiology, public health, food science, and other relevant disciplines to obtain the scientific perspective, expertise, experience, and views of all stakeholders. Those with experience in the specific areas to be addressed by NACMCF (i.e., Cronobacter, Listeria, genomic characterization, aged raw milk cheeses) are especially encouraged to apply. Nominees affiliated with consumer groups are not required to have a scientific background. Persons in academia; industry, state, and local government agencies; public health organizations; and industry and consumer organizations are invited to submit nominations. Self-nominations are welcomed.
All nomination packages must be received within 60 days of publication of the Federal Register notice, where instructions for how to apply can be found.
NACMCF is an advisory committee charged with providing impartial scientific advice and recommendations to USDA and other government agencies, such as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), on microbiological and public health issues affecting food safety.
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