Document reapVOBOqv4642zg3y7RNDeeE

Pago 2 february 1, 1971 FOOD CHEMICAL NEWS 1'OU NTAIN subcommittee on Intergovernmental Relations has tentatively scheduled hear ings Involving FDA and CMS for March 16, 17, and 18. Subcommittee staffers have been known to have been looking Into residues of drugs and additives In meat and poultry products, with particular reference to nitrates and nitrites. They have also been asking some questions about color additives. Definite topics for the hearings have not been announced. SEN. PROXMIRE (D-Wis.) has asked FDA to determine the cause of deaths of hundreds of minks fed Kellogg Mink Feeds, which he claimed are made up in part of breakfast cereals the company markets for humans. He said three independent laboratories have found evidence of toxic substances in the feeds, which Proxmire said may be mercury, lead, or pesticides. The firm attributed the deaths to other portions of the minks' diets, and said Wisconsin and Michigan State University scientists found no evidence of pesticides in the feeds. HUNGER CONFERENCE "rump" session in Washington Feb. 15 is being held under aegis of the Citizens Board of Inquiry into Hunger and Malnutrition in the United States, which published Hunger U.S.A. in 1968 (See FOOD CHEMICAL NEWS, Jan. 11, Page 2). At least 150 invitees will be drawn from those'who attended the original White House Con ference on Food, Nutrition and Health, under arrangements being handled by Robert Choate, who recently help found the Council on Children, Media, and Advertising. PCB action level is being sought by USDA from the FDA as a result of the discovery of polychlorinated biphenyls in poultry in New York State (See FOOD CHEMICAL MEWS, Jan. 25, Page 2). FDA has Informally adopted action levels for PCBs in fish and whole milk (See FOOD CHEMICAL NEWS, July 20, Page 2). w* MERCURY levels were below 0,5 p.p.m. in all 80 samples of frozen fish blocks, derived from cod, haddock, flounder, sole, pollock, and other flat fish, according a joint announce ment from FDA and NOAA. Mercury in the blocks, which are used as the source of fish sticks, fish portions, fish cakes, frozen fish dinners and other convenience food products, averaged 0.06 p.p.m. (See story, Page23). MALCOLM W . JE NSEN , Deputy Director of Commerce's Bureau of Domestic Commerce, has become the leading candidate to head FDA's new Bureau of Product Safety. HEW and Commerce have been engaged in a behind-the-scenes battle to determine which Department will get the authority to regulate Product Safety in the Administration bill being readied to pick up the powers recommended by the Product Safety Commission. DIETARY FOOD hearings drew closer to conclusion last week with an order from Hearing Examiner David H. Harris denying all pending motions as a prelude to completing his re port and recommendations on the record of the two-year public hearing (See FOOD CHEMICAL NEWS, Jan. 11, Page 18), EGG INSPECTION requirements, which go into effect July 1, 1971 for egg product processing plants, and a year later for shell egg producers, will be discussed by USDA officials Feb. 10 in Kansas City, Mo., at a meeting prior to the opening of the Institute of American Poultry Industries Fact Finding Conference. IR.ON-E NRIC HED protein, produced by treating cheese whey withferrlpolyphosphate, was described by USDA's Susan B. Jones to an American Chemical Society regional meeting as having potential value as a food supplement, which can be added to milk and other dairy products without much effect on flavor. MQNS 033645