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| Script:
Comprehensive Food Safety Assessments |
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Intro:
Welcome to USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service podcast. Each episode
will bring you cutting edge news and information about how FSIS is working to ensure public
health protection through food safety. While we’re on the job, you can rest assured that
your meat, poultry, and processed egg products are safe, wholesome, properly labeled,
and packaged correctly. So turn up your volume and listen in.
Host:
Hello and welcome. I’m Sheila Johnson from FSIS. Joining me today is my colleague Pam
Ogasawara, who will talk about the comprehensive food safety assessment.
Pam has been with FSIS for more than 20 years. In addition to being an inspector in plants
in the United States, she has reviewed meat and poultry plants and laboratories overseas
as well. Pam also served as deputy district manager during the implementation of Sanitation
Standard Operating Procedure - SSOP - and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point -
HACCP - regulations.
As the deputy director for the State Program Liaison Staff, Pam worked closely with state
programs, the Food and Drug Administration, and other federal agencies on inspection issues.
Currently, she’s a program manager focusing on new inspection initiatives.
Thanks for being here, and welcome to the program, Pam.
Guest:
Thank you, Sheila. I’m glad to be here.
Host:
At one point or another, small and very small establishment managers may have a comprehensive
food safety assessment conducted at their facility. What can you tell us about this type
of assessment?
Guest:
A comprehensive food safety assessment is an assessment that considers all the food safety
aspects that relate to an establishment and all the products the plant produces. It considers
the source of all the materials received at the establishment and its process and its
environment.
Host:
So it’s not the daily inspection conducted by FSIS inspection personnel assigned to an
establishment.
Guest:
That’s right. Inspectors verify compliance with the regulations, including verifying the
HACCP plan and the SSOP procedures are executed as designed.
The Enforcement, Investigations and Analysis Officers – or the EIAO as we refer to them
– are responsible for conducting comprehensive food safety assessments at plants.
As I mentioned earlier, a comprehensive food safety assessment covers the entire food
safety system; from the design and the science supporting the design, to all the procedures
and the environment. It covers the HACCP plan and supporting documentation, SSOPs, prerequisite
programs, microbiological testing procedures, sanitation performance standards or SPS,
plant documentation, and other information that relates to the plants’ products and processes.
Host:
Since it’s not part of daily inspection, can you explain why a comprehensive food safety
assessment would be conducted at an establishment?
Guest:
Sure. There are actually several reasons why an EIAO may visit a plant to conduct a comprehensive
food safety assessment.
For example, it may be because of a positive laboratory finding. Another reason may be
to determine whether a plant has reassessed its HACCP plan or evaluated its Sanitation
SOPs.
It’s possible that a foodborne illness, outbreaks, recalls, or consumer complaints have
been linked to a plant. Another reason may be that a plant has had a history of repetitive
noncompliance.
And, it’s also possible that the plant has been randomly selected by the district office
officials. Regardless of the reason, once a comprehensive food safety assessment is to
take place, all the food safety systems in operations at the establishment are assessed.
Host:
Are there any steps plant managers can take to be prepared for an assessment?
Guest:
Yes. I believe there are several steps they can take. For example, plant managers
should review and know the Code of Federal Regulations, especially 9 CFR. They should
review the sections 416 - Sanitation, 417 - HACCP Systems, as these sections are
especially helpful. However, they also need to make sure that all the other regulatory
requirements that pertain to their plant are reviewed as well.
Host:
That’s good advice. What are some other steps?
Guest:
It’s important for plant mangers to be proactive!
One way to do that is by being aware of the conditions of the building and equipment
and recognizing how the conditions may affect the sanitation of the facility.
Another is by ensuring that the HACCP plan still applies to the plant and the products
produced, and by keeping accurate records. It’s important to make sure all parts of
the HACCP plan, such as frequency for testing, monitoring, and verification, and so forth,
are supported by documentation.
It’s also important to make sure that supporting documents are appropriate and up
to date for the products produced.
Other steps that they can take include making make sure plant employees are
trained, reviewing plant testing results and reacting to them, assessing for trends
and conducting reassessments as needed. This includes ensuring all documentation
is up to date and accurate, all equipment in the facility is clean, and the systems are
functioning properly.
Host:
What if plant managers do not agree with the assessment findings?
Guest:
Then it’s important to know the appeal process. That information is also contained in the Code of Federal Regulations under:
- 9 CFR 306.5 - Appeals
- 9 CFR 381.35 - Appeals inspections
- 9 CFR 500 - Rules of Practice
Host:
Thanks, Pam, for the overview of comprehensive food safety assessments. More
information about this topic and other topics can be found on the FSIS Web site at
www.fsis.usda.gov.
Outro:
Well, that’s all for this episode. We’d like your feedback on our podcast. Or if you
have ideas for future podcasts, send us an e-mail at podcast@fsis.usda.gov. To learn more
about food safety, try our web site at www.fsis.usda.govv.
Thanks for tuning in.
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Last Modified: November 25, 2008 |
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