Missouriwatcher
Editor, Senior Moderator
April 5, 2011 ? The U.S. Department of Agriculture today is proposing a new requirement for the meat and poultry industry that, once enacted, will reduce the amount of unsafe food that reaches store shelves. With the proposed requirement, USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) would be able to hold products from commerce until FSIS test results for harmful substances are received. Currently, when FSIS collects a sample for testing, the sampled products are requested but not required to be held until test results are known. FSIS believes that this requirement will substantially reduce serious recalls for meat and poultry products...
FSIS inspects billions of pounds of meat, poultry and processed egg products annually. FSIS believes that 44 of the most serious recalls between 2007 and 2009 could have been prevented if this procedure had been in place...
In addition, on March 16, USDA announced implementation of revised and new performance standards aimed at reducing the prevalence of Salmonella and Campylobacter in young chickens and turkeys. USDA expects the new standards ? which require establishments slaughtering chicken and turkey to make continued reductions in the occurrence of pathogens ? to prevent as many as 25,000 foodborne illnesses.
The Federal Register notice announcing test and hold and soliciting public comments will be published in the near future. To view the proposed requirement, visit http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OPPDE/rdad/FRPubs/2005-0044.pdf. FSIS invites comments on this proposed change in policy and procedures. Once the notice is published in the Federal Register, comments must be received on or before 90 days, and may be submitted through the Federal eRulemaking Portal at www.regulations.gov, or by mail to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, FSIS Docket Clerk, Room 2-2127, George Washington Carver Center, 5601 Sunnyside Ave., Mailstop 5272, Beltsville, MD 20705. All comments must identify FSIS and docket number FSIS-2006-0044. In a subsequent Federal Register notice, the Agency will respond to those comments, make any appropriate changes to the policy and procedures, and announce the effective date of the new policy.
http://usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/usdahome?contentidonly=true&contentid=2011/04/0148.xml
FSIS inspects billions of pounds of meat, poultry and processed egg products annually. FSIS believes that 44 of the most serious recalls between 2007 and 2009 could have been prevented if this procedure had been in place...
In addition, on March 16, USDA announced implementation of revised and new performance standards aimed at reducing the prevalence of Salmonella and Campylobacter in young chickens and turkeys. USDA expects the new standards ? which require establishments slaughtering chicken and turkey to make continued reductions in the occurrence of pathogens ? to prevent as many as 25,000 foodborne illnesses.
The Federal Register notice announcing test and hold and soliciting public comments will be published in the near future. To view the proposed requirement, visit http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OPPDE/rdad/FRPubs/2005-0044.pdf. FSIS invites comments on this proposed change in policy and procedures. Once the notice is published in the Federal Register, comments must be received on or before 90 days, and may be submitted through the Federal eRulemaking Portal at www.regulations.gov, or by mail to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, FSIS Docket Clerk, Room 2-2127, George Washington Carver Center, 5601 Sunnyside Ave., Mailstop 5272, Beltsville, MD 20705. All comments must identify FSIS and docket number FSIS-2006-0044. In a subsequent Federal Register notice, the Agency will respond to those comments, make any appropriate changes to the policy and procedures, and announce the effective date of the new policy.
http://usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/usdahome?contentidonly=true&contentid=2011/04/0148.xml