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| Microbiological Results of Raw Ground Beef Products Analyzed for Escherichia coli O157:H7 |
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Individual Positive Results
The Results page shows the most recent positives. Use the drop-down menu
at the top of the page to view positive results for previous years.
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Summary Data
Summary tables containing data from 1994 forward are also available.
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About the Testing Program
On October 17, 1994, FSIS began a microbiological testing program to detect Escherichia coli O157:H7 in raw
ground beef. The objectives of the testing program have evolved over time. An original objective was to stimulate
industry testing and other actions to reduce the presence of the pathogen in raw ground beef.
Today, FSIS considers
product sampling to be one of several activities conducted to verify the effectiveness of HACCP systems.
Since the initiation of the FSIS testing program, many grinders and suppliers of raw ground beef components have
instituted programs to routinely test their ground beef products or raw materials used in ground beef products for
E. coli O157:H7.
Over time, FSIS has taken steps to improve the public health effectiveness of this
testing program by detection of lower numbers of this pathogen through increased sample size and adoption of new more
sensitive methods (see footnotes that accompany Tables 1 through 5).
All regulatory analyses of raw ground beef and raw ground beef products are performed in FSIS laboratories located in
Alameda, CA, St. Louis, MO, and Athens, GA and are reported as of sample analysis completion date. Therefore all
text, tables and graphs are based upon sample analysis completion date.
Today, there are approximately 1,400 federally inspected establishments producing raw ground beef subject to
9 CFR 319.15 (a), (b), or (c), the raw ground beef products that are currently routinely sampled for E. coli
O157:H7 as part of the Agency's HACCP verification program. In recent years most raw ground beef samples have been
collected at the federally inspected establishments. The Agency still collects some samples from retail stores,
but normally only when (1) the retail store produces raw ground beef using whole muscle or trimmings from a
cutting/boning operation conducted at the store, or (2) the retail store does not maintain records of raw beef
suppliers or records documenting clear and accurate grinding logs.
In earlier years, FSIS analyzed some samples from State inspected establishments when not all State programs had
the capability to test for E. coli O157:H7. All States now have their own testing program for raw ground beef.
The number of samples analyzed from imported raw ground beef will vary depending on the volume of imported product.
In recent years, there has been increasing interest in using the E. coli O157:H7 results as an indicator
of industry trends or as a measure of program performance. For this reason, the standard table that has been used
since 1994 has been revised to illustrate two categories of samples that are collected at both Federal establishments
and at retail stores. The revised table uses the following
definitions for categories of samples:
- Verification Sample from a Federal Plant: Samples that are scheduled each month
by randomly selecting establishments from the current population of all raw ground beef producers.
- Routine Sample from a Retail Store: Samples that are collected by program investigators
in the course of making a routine visit to a retail store.
- Follow-Up Sample: Samples that are scheduled in response to a positive finding from
an initial HACCP verification sample or a routine retail sample. Sample collection may or may not be
the same as the location where the initial positive sample was collected. Follow-up samples include
both sampling to verify corrective action and sampling to help identify the source of the contamination.
FSIS views results from the "Verification" samples from Federal establishments as the best indicator
of the overall trend of the presence of E. coli O157:H7 in raw ground beef. For this reason the
Agency uses the percentage of positives in these samples as one of its key performance measures.
Figure 1 (PDF Only) shows the graph of this
performance measure on an annual basis from 2000 through 2007.
When the Agency posted the results from 2006, it was noted that the results for the last quarter of 2006
represented the first time a three-month quarter result had been above 0.20 percent since April-June of 2004.
Because FSIS had the performance measure aimed at keeping the percentage of ground beef positives below 0.20 percent,
the Agency was concerned about the result showing 0.21 percent even though it seemed consistent with other recent
quarter patterns and the overall results for 2006 were the same as for 2005. At the time FSIS indicated the Agency
would closely monitor the 2007 results to assess whether there is any evidence of an increasing trend. Because
the performance measure was clearly exceeded during 2007, FSIS initiated several actions that are summarized at
https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090115232546/http://www.fsis.usda.gov/
News_&_Events/NR_102307_01_att/index.asp.
The initial HACCP verification samples for federally inspected establishments are randomly scheduled each month
from the most current list of establishments producing raw ground beef. The selection process has remained
the same since the program was initiated, but the number of samples scheduled for a specific month can change.
For example, during 2007, FSIS increased the number of samples for July 2007 after an unusual number of
positive results in June. Scheduling remained at an elevated level for August through December where
essentially all establishments were scheduled every month. There was also a period from 1998 through 2002
when some scheduled establishments were exempt from sample collection if they met certain criteria that were
specified in FSIS Directive 10,010.1, Microbiological Testing Program for Escherichia coli O157:H7 in
Raw Ground Beef which was issued February 1, 1998.
Retail samples are not scheduled from an existing list of facilities that are producing raw ground beef. Program
investigators first select retail facilities that will be reviewed. Whether or not a raw ground beef sample will be
collected depends on what is observed during a review. FSIS procedures for retail sampling are covered in
FSIS Directive 10,010.1, Revision 1, March 31, 2004,
and updated through FSIS Notice 43-06, July 20, 2006 and through various Questions and Answers now posted with
Directive 10.010.1, Revision 1.
The 2007 results have been added to Figure 2 (PDF Only)
which shows quarterly results for samples collected from all sources for years CY
2003 through CY 2007. Although
the second and third quarters (April – September) have traditionally been considered to be the high season,
the fourth quarter had been the highest quarter for the last three years (2005 – 2007) in FSIS regulatory
testing for raw ground beef. The fourth quarter of 2007 had the highest percentage of positive samples since
April – June of 2003.
On March 19, 2007, FSIS began routine verification sampling of beef manufacturing trimmings intended for use in
raw ground beef or beef patty products at the slaughter establishments that produced those trimmings. FSIS considers
it extremely critical to keep the percent positive rate for beef trim low in order to affect the percentage of
positive raw ground beef samples downward. Trim sampling was initiated with FSIS Notice 18-07, March 1, 2007 (PDF Only).
During CY 2007, FSIS analyzed 712 trim samples for E. coli O157:H7 and found 2 positive samples (0.28 percent).
FSIS Notice 68-07, October 26, 2007 (PDF Only),
initiated routine verification of other raw ground beef components. Sampling of those other components began in
late
December.
FSIS recently identified the results of a year-long baseline study on boneless beef manufacturing trimmings
designated for use in raw beef and the percent positive rate was 0.68 percent. FSIS will be tracking the percent
positive rate for boneless manufacturing trimmings in FSIS verification testing and comparing results with the
baseline level. FSIS believes that the percent positive rate for boneless manufacturing trimmings should at a
minimum remain below this baseline value in order to reduce the likelihood that E. coli O157:H7 will
be identified in ground beef.
Using sample results and other data sources, FSIS continues to evaluate its E. coli O157:H7 policy and
testing programs. In 2007, FSIS began routine testing of beef trimmings and other raw ground beef components.
In January 2008, FSIS implemented a targeted sampling program that incorporates production volume and history
of sample results. The Agency also implemented a change in the laboratory method that is expected to increase
the Agency's ability to detect E. coli O157:H7 at very low levels. The effect of these January 2008
changes will be further discussed when the 2008 results are posted.
Summary Tables
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Last Modified:
January 9, 2009 |
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