WASHINGTON – Nine new members and 10 returning members have been appointed by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to the National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods (N.A.C.M.C.F.). They will serve as scientific experts representing disciplines related to health and food-safety issues. Later this year, 11 more experts will be appointed to form the full 30-member committee.

The nine new members of the committee are Dr. Wafa Birbari, Sara Lee Corp.; Dr. Robert Dole, U.S. Department of Defense Veterinary Services Activity; Dr. David Golden, University of Tennessee Department of Food Science & Technology; Dr. Margaret Hardin, Texas A&M University Department of Animal Science; Dr. Dallas Hoover, University of Delaware Department of Animal & Food Sciences; Dr. Lee Johnson, West Liberty Foods; Dr. Nandini Natrajan, Keystone Foods LLC; Robert Whitaker, Produce Marketing Association; and Dr. Martin Wiedmann, Cornell University Department of Food Science.

The 10 returning members of the committee are: Dr. V. Kelly Bunning, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Food and Drug Administration/CFSAN; Dr. Dean Cliver (Professor Emeritus), University of California, Davis Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine; Dr. Uday Dessai, U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Safety & Inspection Service; Dr. Daniel Engeljohn, U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Safety & Inspection Service; Spencer Garrett, U.S. Department of Commerce National Marine Fisheries Service; Dr. Kathleen Glass, University of Wisconsin-Madison Food Research Institute; Dr. Stephen Knabel, Pennsylvania State University Department of Food Science; Angela Ruple, U.S. Department of Commerce National Seafood Inspection Laboratory; Dr. Robert Tauxe, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Division of Foodborne, Bacterial and Mycotic Diseases; and Dr. Donald Zink, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Food and Drug Administration/CFSAN.

Established in 1988, the N.A.C.M.C.F. provides scientific advice on public-health issues relative to the safety and wholesomeness of the U. S. food supply. The committee also assists in developing microbiological criteria and reviews and evaluates epidemiological and risk-assessment data as well as methodologies for assessing microbiological hazards.

The committee serves the U.S. Departments of Agriculture (Food Safety and Inspection Service), Health and Human Services (Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), Commerce (National Marine Fisheries Service), and Defense (Veterinary Service Activity). The N.A.C.M.C.F. meets up to two times annually with subcommittees meeting more often as necessary.

Committee members, who serve two-year terms, are appointed by the Secretary of Agriculture following consultation with the Secretary of Health and Human Services. Appointees include scientists from academia, industry and government.