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Interagency Working Group on Import Safety to Hold Public Meeting
The Presidential Interagency Working Group on Import Safety will hold a public meeting on Oct. 1.
The objective of the meeting is to identify and recommend actions that government, industry and consumers
involved in the production, distribution, regulation and use of imported products can take to promote
the safety of such products.
The public meeting will be held from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., in the USDA Jefferson Auditorium, 1400
Independence Ave. SW., Washington D.C.
Individuals interested in attending the meeting in person or by teleconference must register by Sept. 17 by
e-mail to Erik Mettler at
Erik.Mettler@fda.hhs.gov.
Comments must be submitted by Oct. 1 to either https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20081021122154/http://www.fda.gov/dockets/ecomments
or https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20081021122154/http://www.regulations.gov and should be identified with Docket No. 2009N-0330.
The related news release is available at www.usda.gov/2007/08/0229.xml.
FSIS Posts Prototype of Salmonella Set Category Results for Individual Establishments on the Web Site
FSIS posted on its Web site a prototype of how the agency intends to report category 2 and 3
Salmonella set results for individual broiler establishments.
This prototype shows how the agency will report the results for individual establishments of completed
Salmonella sample sets, initially with a focus on broiler establishments that attain a
Category 2 and 3 level of control. Category 1 broiler establishments will be posted later in calendar
year 2008, once FSIS begins random, unannounced "check" sampling in these establishments. FSIS will
compare the results of its check samples to those of the establishment. Category 1 establishments
may not be tested for a full set for up to two years. Set results for other classes of raw products
(e.g., turkeys, steers/heifers and ground beef) also will be posted beginning in calendar year 2008.
FSIS will begin posting to its Web site the results for each establishment, after a notification about
the change is published in a Federal Register notice. This is a follow-up to the agency's
intention to post more information related to test results, as announced in February 2006.
Making the results public is part of an effort to strongly encourage industry stakeholders to further
reduce the presence of Salmonella on raw carcasses and ground
product.
FSIS expects the public offering of these results to positively impact public health through measurable
reductions in the public's exposure to raw meat and poultry products that could be contaminated with
Salmonella or other enteric pathogens, such as Campylobacter. The Federal Register
notice will further articulate the agency's rationale for making the result public.
The prototype is available on FSIS' Web site at
www.fsis.usda.gov/PDF/
Salmonella_Initiative_Prototype.pdf (PDF Only).
FSIS Releases Criteria for Salmonella Initiative Program
FSIS has posted on its Web site the criteria for the Salmonella Initiative Program that the
agency intends to begin in October 2007. The program, conceptually discussed in 71 Federal Register
9772 (February 27, 2006), is designed to demonstrate definite improvements in ongoing control for
Salmonella in broiler and turkey slaughter operations in volunteer establishments.
Establishments must submit a request to participate in the program. If selected, establishments will then
operate via a waiver to existing regulations as provided in 9 Code of Federal Regulations 381.3(b) and in
accordance with the criteria specified for the program.
Requests to participate in the program should be submitted to Dr. Isabel Arrington by e-mail to
Isabel.Arrington@fsis.usda.gov.
FSIS will begin Sept. 1 to review requests to participate in the program.
In addition, FSIS will formally announce the program in a Federal Register notice. The agency
intends to terminate the program at the time a final regulation issues that incorporates the concepts
of the program into a public health based poultry slaughter inspection system.
The criteria and additional information on the program are available at
www.fsis.usda.gov/PDF/
Salmonella_Initiative_Program_Criteria.pdf.
FSIS Issues Notices
FSIS publishes notices to enable the agency to carry out its mission of protecting public health. The
following notices were issued this week:
Notice 54-07 - Updated Requirements for Certifying Beef Exports to Korea. This notice informs
inspection program personnel that the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) posted on its Web site a
new requirement for an establishment to participate in AMS' export verification program.
The establishment should review, and tighten appropriately, its weight range tolerance for boxes of
boneless beef product presented for export to Korea. The requirement is posted at
www.ams.usda.gov/lsg/arc/
LSKoreaClarificationStatement.pdf (PDF Only).
In addition to following agency directives and notices on exports, FSIS personnel who receive an application
to export boneless beef to Korea should verify that the product was produced under an export verification
program which complies with AMS' Aug. 24 requirement.
Notice 55-07 - Nationwide Young Turkey Microbiological Baseline Data Collection Program. This notice
provides information to inspection program personnel at establishments that are included as part of FSIS'
Nationwide Young Turkey Microbiological Baseline Data Collection Program.
The information applies to the 90-day training (i.e., "shake down") period that will be conducted before
the actual study begins.
The 90-day training period will begin as soon as inspection program personnel who will be collecting
samples receive this notice. Certain sample collection procedures for this study are different than
those for the routine sampling of turkey carcasses.
Notice 56-07 - Final Regulations for Non-Ambulatory Disabled Cattle and Specified Risk Materials (SRMs).
This notice announces publication of the specified risk materials final rule, "Prohibition of the Use of
Specified Risk Materials for Human Food and Requirements for the Disposition of Non-Ambulatory Disabled Cattle;
Prohibition of the Use of Certain Stunning Devices Used to Immobilize Cattle During Slaughter"
(also referred to as "the SRM final rule").
It also announces that FSIS will issue two new directives. The new directives will consolidate information
from all the current FSIS notices related to non-ambulatory disabled cattle and SRMs.
Finally, this notice also instructs inspection program personnel to meet with the establishment management
to discuss the provisions of the final SRM rule and the changes since the interim final rule.
The notices are available on FSIS' Web site at
www.fsis.usda.gov/Regulations_&_Policies/
FSIS_Notices_Index/index.asp.
Export Requirement Updates
The Library of Export Requirements has been updated to reflect changes in export requirements for the following:
- Republic of Korea and Indonesia
Complete information can be found at
https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20081021122154/http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Regulations_&_Policies/
Export_Information/index.asp.
Emergency Preparedness Fact Sheets
A Consumer's Guide to Food Safety: Severe Storms and Hurricanes -
www.fsis.usda.gov/Fact_Sheets/
Severe_Storms_and_Hurricanes_Guide/index.asp.
Keeping Food Safe During an Emergency -
www.fsis.usda.gov/Fact_Sheets/
keeping_food_Safe_during_an_emergency/index.asp.
Register to Attend Regulatory Education Sessions for Small and Very Small Plants
FSIS will hold regulatory education sessions on Sept. 12 for the owners and operators of small and very
small plants at the following locations:
- Radisson Suites, 1211 E. Garvey Street, Covina, Calif., from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.;
- Holiday Inn Select, 549 S. Rock Road, Wichita, Kan., from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.;
- Holiday Inn Convention Center, 3321 S. 72nd Street, Omaha, Neb., from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.;
- Holiday Inn New Philadelphia, 131 Bluebell Drive SW., New Philadelphia, Ohio, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.; and
- Crowne Plaza Suites, Dallas Park Central, 7800 Alpha Road, Dallas, Texas, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
To register by phone, call (800) 336-3747. Online registration forms and information about upcoming
sessions can be found at
www.fsis.usda.gov/News_&_Events/
Outreach_Sessions_SVS_Plants/index.asp.
Keep Hands Clean with Good Hygiene
Cleanliness is a major factor in preventing foodborne illness.
Wash hands with warm, soapy water for 20 seconds:
- before and after handling food;
- after using the bathroom;
- after changing a diaper;
- after handling pets;
- after tending to a sick person;
- after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing; and
- after handling uncooked eggs or raw meat, poultry or fish and their juices.
For more information, contact the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline. Food safety experts are available year-round
Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Eastern Time to answer questions about safely preparing and
cooking foods. The toll-free number is (888) MPHotline, (888) 674-6854). Recorded messages are available
24 hours a day.
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Last Modified:
August 31, 2007 |
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