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FSIS is affirming, with changes, the interim final rule "Control of Listeria monocytogenes in Ready-to-Eat Meat and Poultry Products," which was published in the Federal Register on June 6, 2003, (68 FR 34208; June 6, 2003). The interim final rule requires establishments that produce certain ready-to-eat (RTE) meat and poultry products that are exposed to the processing environment after undergoing treatments lethal to Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) to have in their hazard analysis and critical control point (HACCP) plans, or in their sanitation standard operating procedures (Sanitation SOPs), or other prerequisite programs, controls that prevent product adulteration by Lm. Establishments must share with FSIS data and information relevant to their controls for Lm. Establishments also must furnish FSIS with information on the production volume of products affected by the regulations. Establishments may make claims on the labels of their RTE products regarding the processes they use to eliminate or reduce Lm, or suppress, or limit its growth in the products. FSIS is proposing to make minor changes to regulatory provisions in response to comments that the Agency received and on the basis of experience in implementing the interim final rule. Specific Lm references would be removed from hold-and-test provisions to clarify that establishments may not release product that has been in contact with Lm-contaminated surfaces without reprocessing. In addition, FSIS would reduce the reporting frequency for establishments that maintain essentially the same processing methods, Listeria controls, and production volumes from year to year. FSIS will request comments on these minor changes.