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USDA Participates in President's Food Safety Working Group Listening Session
Over 150 Federal, state and local public health partners convened with members of Congress, industry
representatives, consumer advocates and technical experts on May 13 in Washington, D.C., for a food safety listening session.
The session, designed to kick off the President's Food Safety Working Group, brought together stakeholders
across agencies, jurisdictions and perspectives to weigh in on guiding principles for the Working Group.
President Obama announced the formation of the Working Group on March 14, as part of the Administration's
commitment to modernize food safety by building collaborative partnerships with consumers, industry and regulatory partners.
USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack, who co-chairs the Working Group with Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius,
provided opening remarks. Multiple USDA representatives also attended the session. Participants discussed major
principles affecting food safety, including: prevention, surveillance and risk analysis, risk-based inspection
and enforcement, rapid outbreak response and recovery and targeting resources effectively.
For more information about the Food Safety Working Group and the May 13 listening session, visit the Working Group on the Web at
www.foodsafetyworkinggroup.gov.
Register for Regulatory Education Workshop
The Agency will host a regulatory education workshop in San Juan, Puerto Rico, for owners and operators of small and very small plants.
The workshops will cover a variety of topics and prerequisite programs, including Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points
(HACCP), sanitation performance standards, sanitation standard operating procedures, rules of practice, food defense strategies and E. coli O157:H7.
The May 23 session will be held at Edificio Darlington - University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez Campus, 165 Oeste Calle Méndez Vigo,
from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. HACCP and sanitation standard operating procedures will be discussed during this meeting.
Online registration forms and information about upcoming sessions can be found at
www.fsis.usda.gov/News_&_Events/
Registration_Regulatory_Ed_Sessions/index.asp.
Pre-registration is encouraged, but not required.
FSIS Posts New Podcasts
Tune in and subscribe to podcasts that offer information on the selection, handling and preparation of meat and poultry
products to reduce the risk of foodborne illness.
This week, FSIS released podcasts helpful to the everyday consumer and to plant owners and operators.
- Food Safety at Home - Shopping for Food (English and Spanish)
- Humane Handling of Livestock - Enforcement, Part 6 of 7
Check out these new podcasts on FSIS' Web site at www.fsis.usda.gov/news_&_events/Podcasts/
index.asp.
Spanish language consumer podcasts are available at www.fsis.usda.gov/En_Espanol/Podcasts_SP/
index.asp.
Export Requirement Updates
The Library of Export Requirements has been updated to reflect changes in export requirements for the following:
- China
- Ecuador
- European Union
- Japan
- Nicaragua
- Russia
- Singapore
- United Arab Emirates
Complete information can be found at www.fsis.usda.gov/
Regulations_&_Policies/Export_Information/index.asp.
2010 Food Safety Education Conference to be Held in Atlanta
Foodborne illnesses are preventable, but present a major challenge to both general and at-risk populations. Empowering
consumers with knowledge and better safe food-handling behaviors is the best line of defense against pathogens causing these illnesses.
To help educate stakeholders, USDA and NSF International are hosting the 2010 Food Safety Education Conference, Advancements in
Food Safety: Trends, Tools and Technologies, from March 23 to 26 at the Hyatt Regency in Atlanta, Georgia.
Food safety educators and other professionals worldwide will have the opportunity to discover the latest advancements
in food safety education, including trends, tools and technologies.
For more information, visit www.fsis.usda.gov/Atlanta2010.
Get Answers at AskFSIS
AskFSIS is searchable by visitors and designed to help answer policy-related questions on topics such as
exporting, labeling and inspection, programs and procedures. Visit http://askfsis.custhelp.com
to find the answers to your questions.
Recently Posted Questions and Answers
Directive 10,240.4, Verification Procedures for Consumer Safety Inspectors for the Listeria monocytogenes
Regulation and Introduction of Phase 2 of the Lm Risk-based Verification Testing Program - Revision 2.
Listed below are Q&As for Directive 10,240.4.
Updates on FSIS Testing for E. coli O157:H7
Weekly updates for the Agency's raw beef E. coli sampling program are posted to the FSIS Web site.
For comparative 2008 and 2009 results, go to www.fsis.usda.gov/Science/
Ground_Beef_E.Coli_Testing_Results/index.asp.
FSIS Issues Policy Updates
FSIS issues directives and notices to enhance the Agency's efforts in protecting public health. The following notice was issued this week:
- Notice 41-09, Documentation of Weekly Meetings in Egg Product Plants.
All directives and notices are available on the FSIS Web site at www.fsis.usda.gov/regulations_&_policies/
regulations_directives_&_notices/index.asp.
FSIS to Hold Meat and Poultry Inspection Seminars for International Government Officials
The Agency will host the first of three Meat and Poultry Inspection Seminars for International Officials in Puerto Rico from May 19 through June 5.
The purpose of the seminars is to familiarize international government officials with U.S. inspection regulations and procedures used by
USDA to assure that the nation's meat, poultry and egg products are safe, wholesome and properly labeled.
This session, to be held at the University of Puerto Rico in Mayaguez, will cover basic HACCP certification and an in-depth review of
FSIS verification of HACCP and sanitation requirements. Other topics and activities include: import and export policies and procedures,
foreign inspection program equivalence, and field trips to import and export locations and processing and slaughter plants.
This seminar will be conducted Spanish. Participation will be limited to thirty individuals.
For more information regarding the seminars, visit FSIS' Web site at www.fsis.usda.gov/News_&_Events/
2009_Meat_&_Poultry_Inspection_Seminars/index.asp.
Save the Date!
FSIS is co-sponsoring a public meeting with the Department of Health and Human Service's Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
on June 23, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., to present background, approach, scope and data needs for a recently initiated
interagency risk assessment of the public health impact of foodborne Listeria monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes) in
some ready-to-eat foods that are sliced, prepared or packaged in retail facilities.
The purpose of this meeting is to ascertain the effect on public health where current practices and potential
interventions reduce or prevent L. monocytogenes contamination in ready-to-eat foods. FSIS and FDA invite interested
individuals, organizations and other stakeholders to participate in the meeting and comment on this topic.
More information, including the agenda, will be made available in future issues of the 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.
Updates on H1N1 Influenza
In response to an intensifying outbreak of H1N1 influenza, USDA has posted frequently asked questions and answers to its Web site at www.usda.gov.
Also, be sure to visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at www.cdc.gov
for more updates and to learn more about H1N1 influenza.
Clean, Separate, Cook and Chill
- Clean: When preparing food, wash hands and surfaces often.
- Separate: Don't cross-contaminate.
- Cook: Cook food to a safe minimum internal temperature as checked with a food thermometer.
- Chill: Promptly refrigerate or freeze leftovers.
The Kitchen Companion: Your Safe Food Handbook contains all the basic information you need to know about food safety…some old,
some new…and all in one place.
To view the handbook, go to www.fsis.usda.gov/PDF/Kitchen_Companion.pdf.
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Last Modified:
May 15, 2009 |
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