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IKE Scenario 01-06: Meat and Poultry
Bioterrorism: Food Defense Verification at
Meat and Poultry Facilities
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Objective: To provide inspection program personnel guidance related to the random performance of Food Defense Verification procedures and for using a risk-based thought process in order to determine what activities to conduct when performing 08S procedures in order to verify food security.
You are a GS-9 Consumer Safety Inspector (CSI) assigned to cover a ham processing establishment. The PBIS procedure schedule for today indicates that you should perform procedures 04A01 and 04B04. You are aware that the Homeland Security Threat condition is currently Yellow, so you are required to perform one of the Food Defense Verification procedures (08S03 -08S13) in place of one of the assigned 04 procedures. You decide to conduct the 04A01 verification activities and substitute 04B04 with one of the 08S procedures.
You know that FSIS Directive 5420.1 (Revision 2, dated 7/20/2005) indicates that you are to randomly perform the Food Defense Verification procedures. Random selection allows each procedure an equal opportunity of being selected. You are aware that there are many methods available, including the random number generator on the FSIS computer, which will ensure a random selection of the 08S procedure, but you have elected to utilize a method of selection that consists of drawing one numbered plastic chip from a coffee can. Each number (3-13) corresponds with an 08S procedure. Today you select chip number 11 which means you will conduct procedure 08S11, Water Systems. When you have determined which procedure will be conducted, you review FSIS Directive 5420.1, focusing on the criteria of procedure 08S11. You know you need to utilize a risk-based approach to consider the processing operation so that you can evaluate any potential threats which might be associated with the plants water system.
The establishment uses water in the preparation of their product. The hams are injected with solution and then stuffed to semi-permeable casings and cooked in a water filled cooking tank. The product is then chilled in a salt brine solution. The water from both the cooking tank and the brine chiller are disposed of every day at the end of production. Because water is associated with all aspects of the production operations, if the water system were to be compromised, there could be serious food safety implications.
The establishment receives its water from a private well which is located in a separate building behind the plant. In addition, the company has a salt holding tank and a salt brine make-up tank in the same location. You decide to begin your verification activities there because if it is affected, it will have the greatest impact on food security in this operation.
You proceed to the well building to observe the security measures. You observe that both the brine make-up tank and the salt holding tank have locks on the lids of the tank. In addition you see locks on several access panels on the auger between the two tanks. You also see that the well pump and pressure tank are enclosed in a separate locked enclosure within the building. All locks are secured and there is no evidence of tampering observed on any of the locks in the well building. You return to the facility to observe the accessible water piping (e.g. valves, clamps and portable pumps) adjacent to the injector, the cook tank and the chill tank. None show any signs of tampering.
You are aware that the establishment has chosen to implement their own Food Security Plan, which includes inspection of the water system for security breaches. The management has previously allowed you to review their Food Security records so you ask to see them today. The records indicate that there has been no security issues associated with the water system observed since the implementation of the plan.
At this time you determine that there are no food security issues associated with the establishment's water system. You enter an unscheduled 08S11 as performed (trend indicator "A") on today's procedure schedule.
Email comments to Ike@fsis.usda.gov.
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Last Modified: January 25, 2006 |
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