Escherichia coli O157:H7

Guidelines For Developing Best Practices

The guidelines are designed to provide a recommended set of practices and procedures that processors may want to adopt in their entirety or in part to ensure optimal quality and food safety.  These recommendations illustrate how grinders and suppliers of boneless beef and trim products can implement controls to minimize food safety hazards, such as E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella associated with ground beef.

  

Guidance For Beef Grinders and Suppliers Of Boneless Beef and Trim Products

    

Guidelines For Developing Best Practices For Beef Slaughter

    

Guidelines For Handling Vacuum Packed Sub-Primal Beef Cuts

    

Guidelines for Pathogen Control During Tenderizing/Enhancing of Whole Muscle Cuts

    

Guidelines for Pathogen Control During Tenderizing/Enhancing of Whole Muscle Cuts

(Condensed Version)

    

Guidelines For Developing Best Practices For Raw Ground Products

    

Guidelines for Holding Tested Products

  

Beef Industry Food Safety Council (BIFSCo) Alert - November, 2007

American Association of Meat Processors' Information

The following documents are publications that specifcally relate to the reassessment of HACCP plans regarding the potential E. coli O157:H7 contamination of ground beef components and/or ground beef.

  

AAMPlifier – November 1, 2007

Article - FSIS Calls For HACCP Plan Reassessment...But What Does It All Mean?

    

Capitol Line-Up - November 1, 2007

Article - FSIS Responds To E. coli Conundrum

    

AAMPlifier – February 1, 2007

Article - Are Your Purchase Specifications Adequate To Pass EIAO Scrutiny?

Escherichia coli O157:H7 Reassessment Scenario

    

Attachment #1 - Supplier Contact Log (WORD Format)

    

Attachment #2 - Developing Product Lotting and Coding Systems for Small Meat and Poultry Processing Operations

    

Attachment #3 - AAMPlifier - November 1, 2007

    

Attachment #4 - Industry Best Practices for Holding Tested Products

    

Attachment #5 - Beef Trim Component Data Log (WORD Format)

    

Attachment #6 - 2008 Tentative schedule for generic E. coli and E. coli O157:H7 testing program

  

HACCP Supporting Documents (Members Only Section)

AAMP has collected numerous documents to help you support the reason why certain critical limits are chosen throughout HACCP plans. These documents are on the member's section of AAMP website.

Letters of Guarantee from Suppliers

Most suppliers of beef carcasses and ground beef components provide meat processors further down the production chain with letters of guarantee.  The letters of guarantee found on the AAMP webiste are only examples. 

  

Letter of Guarantee - Excel

    

Letter of Guarantee - IBP

    

National Beef - E. coli O157:H7 Informational Letters

    

National Beef - Food Safety Letter

    

National Beef - Trim (Pathogen) Testing for Ground Beef Letter

    

National Beef - Box Trim Sampling and Testing Procedures Letter

    

National Beef - Trim Customer Requirements Letter

    

Letter of Guarantee - Packers

    

Letter of Guarantee - Swift & Company

**   Meat processors should obtain their own individual letters from vendors pertaining to compliance with the USDA/FSIS notices and regulations.

Consumer Information

The American Assocaition of Meat Processors firmly believe that everyone has an equal role in food safety.  In general, this information reiterates the need for proper consumer handling and cooking (160 °F) of ground beef products.

   

Keeping Your Meat Safe

    

Is It Done Yet? Brochure

Learn how to use a food thermometer - it's not just for turkey anymore! Get recommended internal temperatures for safe food.

    

Keep Your Family Safe Temperature Chart

USDA's recommended internal temperatures for meat and poultry products in handy chart form.

    

Fact Sheet - E. coli O157:H7

    

Fact Sheet - Using a Thermometer