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Public Meeting to Discuss Challenges and Solutions for Reducing the Incidence of E. coli O157:H7 in Raw Beef
FSIS issued a news release on March 27 to announce that the agency
will hold a public meeting to discuss challenges and proposed solutions in moving forward to address
recalls and illnesses related to E. coli O157:H7.
Under Secretary for Food Safety Dr. Richard Raymond stated, "We aim to prevent and not just respond
to illnesses, and consumers, industry and our public health partners are critical partners in our long
term strategy and we look forward to our continuing collaborative relationship to ensure food safety."
The public meeting will be held on April 9 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on April 10 from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
at the Holiday Inn Georgetown, 2101 Wisconsin Ave., NW, Washington, DC. The meeting will feature various
presentations and panel discussions by FSIS officials, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
a senior foodborne illness litigation firm partner, representatives from industry and consumer groups, as
well as a small plant owner and operator from South Carolina.
Stakeholders will also be able to participate through audio conference. Directions to the site, phone-in
information, the agenda and other meeting materials will be posted on the FSIS Web site at
www.fsis.usda.gov.
Pre-registration for the meeting is encouraged. To register online, go to
www.fsis.usda.gov/News_&_Events/
Meetings_&_Events/index.asp
and indicate whether you will be attending onsite at the Holiday Inn Georgetown or participating by phone.
FSIS Published Directive on Illegally Imported Product
FSIS published Directive 9600.1 - Illegally Imported or Smuggled Products and Reporting in the Import
Alert Tracking System on March 27.
This directive provides methodologies that the employees of the Office of Program Evaluation, Enforcement
and Review and the Office of International Affairs, and the Office of Food Defense and Emergency
Response are to apply when surveillance or investigations identify meat, poultry or processed egg products
from a foreign country that have been illegally imported or smuggled, or are intended to be illegally
imported or smuggled into the United States. This directive also introduces the use of the Import
Alert Tracking System.
This guidance also cancels FSIS Notice 59-06, Illegally Imported or Smuggled Product, dated September 13, 2006.
Visit www.fsis.usda.gov/OPPDE/rdad/FSISDirectives/9600-1.pdf
(PDF Only) to view this directive.
FSIS Begins Posting Salmonella Performance Results for Establishments
FSIS begins publishing results of completed sample sets from its Salmonella Verification Program
for young chicken (broiler) slaughter establishments by their performance category on March 28.
The Agency intends to post updated results on or about the 15th of each month for young chicken
slaughter establishments. This will include data collected through the end of the previous month.
At this time, results are being published for establishments in Category 2 and Category 3. FSIS is not
listing establishments in Category 1 and other establishments that do not have enough sets completed as
required for Category 1. The Agency is looking at establishing a category for these establishments in
the future and is also considering publishing category results for establishments in other product classes.
Publication of Salmonella sample set results for young chicken establishments was first
presented in a Federal Register notice of February 27, 2006
(71 FR 9772-9777) and was recently described in detail in a Federal Register notice of
January 28, 2008 (73 FR 4767-4774).
For more information and to access the reports go to
www.fsis.usda.gov/Science/
Salmonella_Verification_Testing_Program/index.asp.
Export Requirement Updates
The Library of Export Requirements has been updated to reflect changes in export requirements for the following:
Complete information can be found at www.fsis.usda.gov/Regulations_&_Policies/
Export_Information/index.asp.
FSIS Published Notice on AssuranceNet
FSIS published Notice 19-08 - AssuranceNet Data Monitoring Responsibilities and Instructions for Office of
Field Operations Managers on March 26.
This notice provides specific instructions in reviewing, monitoring, analyzing and responding to
AssuranceNet results. It also outlines requirements for documenting findings as well as any required follow-up.
To view this notice, visit www.fsis.usda.gov/OPPDE/rdad/
FSISNotices/19-08.pdf (PDF Only).
FSIS Makes Changes to Scheduling Criteria for Routine Listeria monocytogenes Sampling Program
FSIS posted on its Web site criteria used to identify establishments to be tested for Listeria monocytogenes
(Lm) in food contact, environmental, and product samples under the Routine Lm Risk-Based Sampling
Program on March 21.
Under the routine Lm sampling program, a Food Safety Assessment is conducted in addition to
sampling product, food contact, and non-food contact surfaces for Lm.
The criteria provides an overview of the process for selecting establishments for sampling under the routine Lm
sampling program and indicates changes to the program that is described in FSIS directive 10,240.5 -
Enforcement, Investigations, and Analysis Officer Assessment of Compliance with the Listeria Monocytogenes
Regulation and Introduction of Phase 2 Of the Lm Risk-Based Verification Testing Program(PDF Only).
The purpose of the directive is to provide direction to enforcement, investigations, and analysis
officers and public health veterinarians collecting samples under the routine Lm sampling program.
Visit FSIS' Web site at www.fsis.usda.gov/Regulations_&_Policies/
Compliance_Guides_Index/index.asp
to review the compliance guidelines for the Listeria risk-based sampling program.
E. coli O157:H7 Workshops to be Held for Small and Very Small Plants
FSIS will hold regulatory education workshops for owners and operators of small and very small plants
in California and Arkansas on April 8 and 9.
The workshops 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 April 8 session will be held at the Radisson Suites Hotel, 1211 East Garvey Street, Covina, Calif.
The April 9 session will be held at the Courtyard by Marriott Little Rock West, 10900 Financial Centre Park,
Little Rock, Ark. The workshops will be held from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at each location.
To register by phone, please 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.
Pre-registration is encouraged, but not required.
Web Seminar on Sanitation to be Held for Small and Very Small Plants
FSIS will host a regulatory seminar on April 16 as part of a continued effort for outreach to small and
very plants.
This seminar will emphasize methods that small and very small meat, poultry and processed egg product
establishments can implement to ensure effective sanitation and safer products for consumers.
The seminar will be held from 10 to 11 a.m. EST and from 6 to 7 p.m. EST. To register by phone, call
(800) 336-3747 or e-mail questions to
netmeetingseminars@fsis.usda.gov.
Information about upcoming Web seminars can be found at www.fsis.usda.gov/News_&_Events/
Regulatory_Web_Seminars/index.asp.
FSIS to Host Two Day Public Health and Food Safety Summit
FSIS is committed to partnering with other food safety and public health communities in an effort to
make critical improvements in public health and food safety.
FSIS is co-sponsoring a two day summit with the Centers for Disease Control
and the Food and Drug Administration: Better Communications, Better
Public Health Outcomes: Strategies for Improved Coordination During Foodborne Outbreaks, scheduled for May 15 and 16.
The meeting will be held at the Renaissance St. Louis Grand and Suites Hotel, 800 Washington Avenue, St. Louis, MO.
The summit will include a public meeting and an invitation-only simulation exercise. The steering committee
will include representation from member organizations of the Council to Improve Foodborne Outbreak Response
(CIFOR), as well as other stakeholders.
CIFOR is a multidisciplinary working group whose mission is to increase collaboration across the country to
reduce the burden of foodborne illness in the United States. As a current member, FSIS recognizes the
excellent and important work already being done by CIFOR and plans to continue active participation in future
efforts.
More information about the summit, including the agenda, 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.
USDA to Hold Codex Public Meeting on Food Labeling
USDA's Office of the Under Secretary for Food Safety and Department of Health and Human Services' Food and
Drug Administration announced a public meeting to provide and receive comments on draft U.S. positions that
will be discussed at the 36th Session of the Codex Committee on Food Labeling in Ottawa, Canada from
April 28 - May 2.
The public meeting will be held March 31, from 1 to 4 p.m., in Room 107A, of the Jamie Whitten Federal
Building, 1400 Independence Ave, S.W., Washington, D.C.
Interested parties should submit their comments on this meeting notice to
ccfl@fda.hhs.gov.
For further information about the 36th Session of the Codex Committee on Food Labeling contact Dr. Michael Wehr at
(301) 436-1724.
The related Federal Register notice is available at
www.fsis.usda.gov/Frame/FrameRedirect.asp?main=https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20081106030125/http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OPPDE/
rdad/FRPubs/2008-0009.htm
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