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Federal Register Notice: Retail Lists Made Available to Consumers During Recalls
Effective August 18, FSIS will make available the names and locations of retail consignees whose
products have been involved in Class I recalls.
FSIS will routinely post this information on its Web site to provide an additional mechanism to
prompt consumers to examine possibly affected products stored in their refrigerators and freezers.
This additional resource will complement the information that FSIS already makes available and will
provide additional opportunities for local media outlets as well as state and local health officials
to transmit more targeted information to consumers.
This rule will apply only where there is a reasonable probability that the recalled product will
cause serious adverse health consequences or death.
To review the related Federal Register notice, visit
www.fsis.usda.gov/Frame/FrameRedirect.asp?main=https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20081030161132/http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OPPDE/rdad/FRPubs/2005-0028F.htm | PDF.
National Advisory Committee on Meat and Poultry Inspection to Hold Public Meetings
The National Advisory Committee on Meat and Poultry Inspection
will hold a public meeting on August 27 and 28 to review and discuss international equivalence relating
to audits associated with determinations of a country's status, equivalence criteria, and the
reinspection system for imported product.
The Committee will hold a public meeting on Wednesday, August 27, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Thursday,
August 28, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The meetings will be held in the conference room at the south end
of the USDA South Building cafeteria, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250.
More information, including agenda items, will be made available in future issues of the FSIS Constituent
Update. Also, be sure to check the Meetings and Events page of FSIS' Web site at
www.fsis.usda.gov/News_&_Events/
Meetings_&_Events/index.asp
for more updates.
For further information about the public meeting, contact Keith Payne at (202) 690-6522 or send an email to
keith.payne@fsis.usda.gov.
Update on FSIS testing for E. coli O157:H7
FSIS' has updated E. coli O157:H7 testing data to include information through July 13, 2008.
|
|
| Results
from Analysis of Raw Ground Beef and Raw Ground Beef Component Samples for E. coli
O157:H7 |
| Raw Ground Beef |
| Source |
As of July 15, 2007 |
As of July 13, 2008 |
No.
Ana- lyzed |
No.
Positive |
Percent
Positive |
No.
Ana- lyzed
|
No.
Positive |
Percent
Positive |
Federal
Plants |
6,174 |
14 |
0.23 |
6,264 |
18 |
0.29 |
| Retail Stores |
101 |
0 |
0.00 |
241 |
0 |
0.00 |
| Raw Ground Beef Components |
| Source |
As of July 15, 2007 |
As of July 13, 2008 |
No.
Ana- lyzed |
No.
Positive |
Percent
Positive |
No.
Ana- lyzed
|
No.
Positive |
Percent
Positive |
Federal
Plants |
242 |
2 |
0.83 |
979 |
3 |
0.31 |
| Imports |
0 |
0 |
0.00 |
290 |
0 |
0.00 |
| The above information is based upon data in the FSIS electronic data system as of July 15, 2008. |
|
|
As the table indicates, 241 raw ground beef samples from retail stores have been analyzed as of July 13, 2008
compared with 101 samples analyzed as of July 15, 2007. Retail sampling remains an important part of the Agency's
sampling program. Sampling is done at stores where the potential for introduction of E. coli O157:H7 into
product exists. Examples of this include stores that add their own trim to the grinding process or stores that
mix irradiated and non-irradiated beef.
As with federal plants, retail stores that test positive for E. coli O157:H7 may be requested to
recall the contaminated product if it has been made available for sale. The last positive test result
from a retail store was in 2002.
For more information about retail sampling, see Part X of FSIS Directive 10,010.1 at
www.fsis.usda.gov/OPPDE/rdad/
FSISDirectives/10.010.1.pdf (PDF Only).
FSIS has also posted Questions & Answers with information related to retail sampling. Visit
www.fsis.usda.gov/OPPDE/rdad/fsisdirectives/
10010_1/Ecoli_QA.pdf
to review this information in detail.
Individual positive results for 2008 are reported on FSIS' Web site at
www.fsis.usda.gov/Science/
2008_Ecoli_Positive_Results/index.asp.
Export Requirement Updates
The Library of Export Requirements has been updated to reflect changes in export requirements for the following:
- Guatemala
- Indonesia
- Jordan
- Mexico
- Republic of Korea
Complete information can be found at www.fsis.usda.gov/Regulations_&_Policies/
Export_Information/index.asp.
Register for Regulatory Education Workshop in Sioux Falls
FSIS will hold a regulatory education workshop for owners and operators of small and very small plants
in Sioux Falls on July 23.
The workshop will cover a variety of topics and prerequisite programs, including hazard analysis and critical control points,
sanitation performance standards, sanitation standard operating procedures, rules of practice, food defense strategies, E. coli
O157:H7 workshops and the following notices:
- 65-07, Notice of Reassessment for Escherichia coli O157:H7
Control and Completion of a Checklist for all Beef Operations;
- 66-07, Multiple Follow-Up Sampling After FSIS Positive Escherichia
coli O157:H7 Results; and
- 68-07, Routine Sampling and Testing of Raw Ground Beef Components
Other Than Trim and Imported Raw Ground Beef Components for Escherichia
coli O157:H7.
The July 23 session will be held at the Holiday Inn City Centre, 100 West 8th Street, Sioux Falls,
South Dakota 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.
Food Defense Plans
FSIS will conduct a survey on August 1 to determine how many FSIS-regulated slaughter and processing plants
have voluntarily adopted functional food defense plans.
A documented set of procedures will improve an establishment's ability to respond quickly.
A food defense plan also helps to maintain a safe working environment for employees, provide a quality product
to customers and is particularly helpful during emergencies.
Visit www.fsis.usda.gov/
Food_Defense_&_Emergency_Response/
Guidance_Materials/index.asp
to review guidelines for completing a food defense plan.
FSIS Posts Completed Salmonella Verification Sample Set Results
Since March, the Agency began posting the names of broiler establishments showing inconsistent or poor
process control on FSIS' Web site. However, July's report reveals that there are no establishments listed
in Category 3.
In both March and April, 19 establishments were identified in Category 2 and two establishments were in Category 3.
In both May and June, 15 establishments were listed in Category 2, and two establishments were listed in Category 3.
For the July posting, 16 establishments are in Category 2, and there are none to report for Category 3.
In addition, the Agency reports that 81% of broiler establishments are in Category 1 as of July 15, 2008 compared
to the 35% that were in Category 1 in July 2006 — an extraordinary improvement.
The Agency believes that the broiler industry continues to move in the right direction and is progressing
toward the 90% goal marked to meeting the Healthy People Goal of 2010.
The current listing can be accessed at www.fsis.usda.gov/Science/
Salmonella_Verification_Testing_Program/index.asp.
Preparing for a Weather Emergency
Severe weather events can mean power outages, floods and other problems that can affect the safety of food.
Knowing what to do before and after a weather event can help you reduce your risk of illness.
FSIS offers tips that can help you minimize the amount of food that may be lost due to spoilage. Check them out at
www.fsis.usda.gov/Fact_Sheets/
Preparing_for_Weather_Emergency/index.asp | PDF.
Also, learn about other basic food safety principles by visiting FSIS' fact sheets at
www.fsis.usda.gov/Fact_Sheets/index.asp.
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Last Modified:
July 18, 2008 |
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