Agricultural News
OSU Microbiologist Appointed to National Food Safety Committee
Wed, 27 Feb 2013 13:47:13 CST
An Oklahoma State University microbiologist has been appointed to the National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods, or NACMCF, of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service.
Peter Muriana, food microbiologist for the Robert M. Kerr Food & Agricultural Products Center and professor in the department of animal science, joined the 22-member committee on Jan. 28.
"You have to be nominated and selected to be a member of this committee," Muriana said. "I had been nominated for the committee in previous years and hadn't been selected, so finding out I was selected was exciting."
Muriana said his experience in the food microbiology area qualified him for this opportunity.
"I have a fair bit of expertise in certain areas of food microbiology based on the research I have done at FAPC and prior," Muriana said. "But especially in my time since arriving at FAPC, I have completed more than 70 food microbiology-related projects of practical significance to the food industry by working with individual companies to help them with their problems, and this experience has equipped me well for this occasion."
According to the USDA's website, "The committee originated in 1988 and currently serves the purpose of providing recommendations to the secretaries of agriculture and health of human services on microbiological criteria to evaluate food safety and wholesomeness."
The committee helps regulatory agencies by providing them with a substantial scientific foundation.
"This committee is used by USDA, FDA and other regulatory agencies that interact with and regulate the food industry to provide scientific input on issues," Muriana said. "Basically, we are a group of scientists put together so regulatory agencies can use NACMCF as a reference by making suggestions upon which the regulatory agencies can take action and their actions are based on scientific data provided to them by this expert committee."
The committee is made up of scientists from academia, industry and government.
"Each member of the committee brings their unique area of expertise to the team," Muriana said. "I hope that my experience in connection with food microbiology will help to contribute something substantial along with the other members of the committee."
Members of this group serve a two-year term and meet several times a year in Washington, D.C., to convene as a committee.
"I am looking forward to this experience and hope to see what it brings," Muriana said.
Roy Escoubas, FAPC director, nominated Muriana to the committee.
"I was honored to nominate Dr. Muriana for the opportunity and even more proud that he was selected," Escoubas said. "His experience in food microbiology research coupled with his knowledge of food safety industry applications makes him more than qualified to be a member of the committee."
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