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Public Meeting to Address Agenda Items for 24th Session of the Codex Committee on Processed Fruits and Vegetables
The Office of the Under Secretary for Food Safety and the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA),
have announced a public meeting for Thursday, August 14, 2008, from 10 a.m. to 12 noon, in Room 2068, South Agriculture Building, USDA,
1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C.
This meeting will be held to provide information and receive public comments on agenda items and draft U.S. positions that will be
discussed at the 24th Session of the Codex Committee on Processed Fruits and Vegetables (CCPFV)
of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex), to be held in Arlington, Virginia, September 15-20, 2008.
Agenda items and documents related to the 24th Session of the CCPFV will be accessible prior to the public meeting on the Codex
Web site at www.codexalimentarius.net/current.asp.
For further information regarding the 24th Session of CCPFV, or to submit questions or comments in advance, contact Dorian LaFond,
International Standards Coordinator, Fruit and Vegetable Division, AMS, at (202) 690-4944, or by e-mail to Dorian.Lafond@usda.gov.
Persons requiring a sign language interpreter or other special accommodations should contact Doreen Chen-Moulec, International Issues Analyst,
U.S. Codex Office, by phone at (202) 205-7760, or e-mail to Doreen.Chen-Moulec@fsis.usda.gov.
FSIS Updates E. coli O157:H7 Reports
FSIS has updated E. coli O157:H7 testing data to include information through July 27, 2008.
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| 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 29, 2007 |
As of July 27, 2008 |
No.
Ana- lyzed |
No. Positive |
Percent Positive |
No.
Ana- lyzed
|
No. Positive |
Percent Positive |
Federal
Plants |
6,793 |
16 |
0.24 |
6,679 |
21 |
0.31 |
| Retail Stores |
102 |
0 |
0.00 |
247 |
0 |
0.00 |
| Raw Ground Beef Components |
| Source |
As of July 29, 2007 |
As of July 27, 2008 |
No.
Ana- lyzed |
No. Positive |
Percent Positive |
No.
Ana- lyzed
|
No. Positive |
Percent Positive |
Federal
Plants |
285 |
2 |
0.70 |
1,133 |
4 |
0.35 |
| Imports |
0 |
0 |
0.00 |
318 |
0 |
0.00 |
| The above information is based upon data in the FSIS electronic data system as of July 29, 2008.
Results are from FSIS routine and follow-up sampling programs. |
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For the FSIS raw ground beef testing programs, the number of positives for this year remains at the same level as was reported last week.
This means that no additional positive test results have occurred in FSIS samples collected for federal plants or retail stores in the past
week for this product category.
For the raw ground beef components, one new positive has occurred in the samples collected from federal plants in the past week.
Although the number of positives is higher than for the same period of 2007, the total number of samples analyzed is also greater.
The resulting percent positive remains lower than for the same period of 2007.
Starting next week, FSIS will begin reporting raw ground beef results for import establishments.
Individual positive results from all raw ground beef sampling programs 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:
- Azerbaijan
- Colombia
- People's Republic of China
- Russia
Complete information can be found at www.fsis.usda.gov/Regulations_&_Policies/
Export_Information/index.asp.
National Advisory Committee on Meat and Poultry Inspection to Hold Public Meeting
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 meet Wednesday, August 27, from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Thursday, August 28, from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. 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.
August Schedule for Regulatory Education Workshops
FSIS has announced its August schedule of regulatory education workshops for owners and operators of small and very small plants. Workshops will be held:
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
6:30 - 8:30 p.m.
Holiday Inn Express Jackson-Coliseum/Downtown
310 Greymont Avenue
Jackson, Mississippi 39202
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
6:30 - 8:30 p.m.
Sheraton Atlanta Hotel
165 Courtland Street
Atlanta, Georgia 30303
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
6:30 - 8:30 p.m.
Holiday Inn Crabtree Valley
4100 Glenwood Avenue
Raleigh, North Carolina 27612
Thursday, August 14, 2008
4:00 - 6:00 p.m.
Holiday Inn Boston at Beacon Hill
5 Blossom Street
Boston, Massachusetts 02114
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
6:30 - 8:30 p.m.
Sheraton Westport Plaza Towers
900 Westport Plaza Drive
St. Louis, Missouri 63146
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.
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 Safety Videos
FSIS offers on its Web site various streaming video and audio resources for owners and operators of small and very small plants. Videos
related to food defense include:
USDA Emergency Support Function - Learn about FSIS' role in a national emergency response to a natural disaster and non-routine
food-related incidents; and how the Agency assists the meat, poultry, and egg products industry.
Reducing the Insider Threat - Learn why the insider threat is a real risk to your product and facility, potential indicators to be
aware of, and where to report suspicious activity.
Developing Food Defense Plans - Learn the importance of developing a food defense plan, a three-step process to create a plan,
and the essential components of a plan.
Food Defense: What Does it Mean to You? - Learn why food defense is important to your company and in protecting public health;
and how a food defense plan can help you minimize the risk of intentional contamination.
Who is OFDER? - Learn about the Office of Food Defense and Emergency Response which serves as the Agency's central office
for managing and coordinating homeland security, food defense, and emergency response activities for meat, poultry and processed egg products
to further protect public health.
More information is available at https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20081106032958/http://www.fsis.usda.gov/News_&_Events/
Meat_Poultry_&_Egg_Inspection_Video/index.asp.
FSIS Offers Tips to Prevent Foodborne Illness During Severe Weather
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.
Learn about other basic food safety principles by visiting FSIS' fact sheets at www.fsis.usda.gov/Fact_Sheets/index.asp.
Before you let kids have the run of the kitchen, USDA advises you to take a quiz together. Visit
www.fsis.usda.gov/News_&_Events/
NR_090704_01/index.asp.
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Last Modified:
August 1, 2008 |
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