NEWS

04/15/1996



<TITLE> FDA & UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND ANNOUNCE FOOD SCIENCE

PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM </TITLE>

<PRE>



P96-8                              Food and Drug Administration

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE              Judith Foulke (202) 205-4144

April 15, 1996                     


             FDA & UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND ANNOUNCE FOOD

                 SCIENCE PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM

       

     The Food and Drug Administration and the University of

Maryland today agreed to form a unique partnership program, the

Joint Institute for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (JIFSAN),

dedicated to the advancement of food safety research and food and

nutrition policy.

     The Memorandum of Understanding, which was signed by FDA

Commissioner David A. Kessler, M.D. and Dr. William E. Kirwan,

President of the University of Maryland at College Park, calls

for the pooling of the two organization's internationally renown

scientific staffs and resources, including scientific expertise,

equipment and facilities.  The focal point of this new endeavor

is FDA's newly planned facility in College Park, MD.

     "Academia and the government have come together time and

time again -- because it was in their interest and the national

interest," said Secretary of Health and Human Services, Donna E.  

Shalala.  Today, we're combining the best of these two worlds

again to strike a win-win deal for the American people."

                            -MORE-





                                Page 2, P96-8 Science Program

     "The Joint Institute will provide the opportunity for

internationally-recognized scientists from both organizations to

exchange their expertise in food safety, nutrition and food 

science," said Dr. Kessler. "It will enable us each to build on

each other's strengths, and thereby move forward faster and more

effectively in the pursuit of individual missions."

     FDA's participation in the Joint Institute is expected to be

enhanced by the recent decision of the General Services

Administration to build near the university a new facility for 

FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, and Center

for Veterinary Medicine.  The collaborative research conducted by

the Center and the university scientists in the Joint Institute

will include studies on risk assessment, nutritional analyses,

and other scientific investigations contributing to the four

major elements of FDA's food program:

o    Food security related to pathogens, contaminants, and

toxins;

o    Regulatory science applied to the review of food

ingredients, international standards, and educational research;

o    Nutrition and clinical studies related to nutrient quality,

safety and labeling;

o    Evaluation of technological innovations in the food industry

and consumer behavior.

                              -MORE-



                                   Page 3, P96-8, Science Program

     FDA and University scientists will participate in seminars,

workshops and other scientific forums to enhance the expertise of

FDA staff, University faculty and others in the scientific 

community.  Graduate and undergraduate students will participate

in specialized training, internships and independent research.

     The plans of the Joint Institute call for future

partnerships with industry as well as state and other federal 

government agencies to support and participate in research and

educational outreach.

     The design and site acquisition for the new campus for FDA's

food and veterinary medicine centers are fully funded by a

congressional appropriation of $84 million, and the construction

is expected to be completed by the year 2000.  The preferred site

in the vicinity of the College Park Metro station was chosen by

GSA on April 9.

####

</PRE>