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FSIS Launches New Magazine
FSIS unveiled the inaugural issue of its new full-color glossy magazine
on September 27, titled, be FoodSafe: the FSIS Magazine,
at the 2006 Food Safety Education Conference in Denver, Colo.
The core mission of be FoodSafe is to provide readers meaningful
content. Its articles, for example, will be dedicated to education
programs for food workers, consumers and caregivers; and food safety
behavior trends and emerging topics in science and research. There
will also be a focus on food inspection issues, both domestic and
international, as well as profiles of FSIS professionals.
FSIS Deputy Administrator Bryce Quick led the rollout of the new publication.
"Our goal for be FoodSafe was to create a publication that
is both authoritative and entertaining," said Quick.
The magazine replaces FSIS' previous newsletter, The Food Safety
Educator, at no additional cost and it will serve a larger audience.
"Everyone along the farm-to-table continuum plays a role in reducing
foodborne illness, and for this reason, we anticipate this magazine
serving as another tool to reach diverse audiences so we can all work
together to further enhance public health protection through food
safety," stated Quick.
Electronic versions of the inaugural and subsequent issues will be
available for free at www.fsis.usda.gov
or www.befoodsafe.gov.
To purchase a one year hard copy subscription for $29, visit the Government
Printing Office's Web site at http://bookstore.gpo.gov/collections/befoodsafe.jsp.
Under Secretary for Food Safety Presents 2006 Bauman Award
USDA's Under Secretary for Food Safety Dr. Richard Raymond presented
Dr. R. Bruce Tompkin with the prestigious 2006 Howard Bauman Award
on September 27.
The award was presented in Denver, Colo., at the 2006 Food Safety
Education Conference, "Reaching At-Risk Audiences and Today's Other
Food Safety Challenges."
"Dr. Tompkin has contributed enormously to food safety through his
research into specific pathogens and to the control of foodborne illness
by sharing that information widely," stated Raymond. "Dr. Tompkin's
lifelong dedication to science and education has contributed directly
to the reduction of foodborne illness in America and it gives me great
pleasure to honor such a deserving individual with the 2006 Howard
Bauman Award."
Tompkin began his career as a food microbiologist with what is now
ConAgra Foods in 1962 and retired as vice president of product safety
in 2002. Some of his most significant research was on the control
of microbiological hazards in meat and poultry products, including
Clostridium botulinum, Salmonella and Listeria
monocytogenes.
Tompkin was an early proponent of the use of the Hazard Analysis and
Critical Control Point (HACCP) system, helping to implement it at
ConAgra long before it was required.
The Bauman award is named for Dr. Howard E. Bauman, widely recognized
for his pioneering efforts to develop the HACCP food safety system.
The award, the highest food safety honor presented by USDA, recognizes
an individual who has exhibited leadership and a longstanding commitment
to improving food safety.
FSIS to Hold Public Meeting on Risk-Based Inspection
FSIS will hold a public meeting to discuss risk-based inspection issues
on October 10 and 11. The meeting will consist of presentations and
discussions on measuring establishment risk control, measuring inherent
product risk and risk-based inspection implementation.
The meeting is scheduled for October 10, from 9:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.
EST, and October 11, from 9:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. EST. It will be held
at George Mason University, Arlington Campus, 3401 Fairfax Drive,
Arlington, Va. 22201.
Members of the public are required to pre-register for the meeting.
Attendees are also strongly encouraged to read the technical papers
on measuring inherent product risk for risk-based inspection and measuring
establishment risk control for risk-based inspection. Additional information
on risk-based inspection will be forthcoming.
The meeting will also be broadcast as a net meeting. For more information
about risk-based inspection, the technical papers and the public meeting,
visit FSIS' Web site at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Regulations_&_Policies/
Risk_Based_Inspection/index.asp.
National Advisory Committee on Meat and Poultry Inspection
to Hold Public Meetings
The National Advisory Committee on Meat and Poultry Inspection will
hold public meetings on October 12 and 13.
The purpose of these meetings is to discuss using risk to direct in-plant
inspection activities in processing assignments and using risk in
slaughter operations.
Subcommittees will hold open meetings on October 12, from 2 - 6 p.m.,
to discuss these issues after the full committee session.
The full committee will hold public meetings on October 12 and 13
from 8:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
All committee meetings will be held in the conference room at the
south end of the USDA South Building cafeteria, 1400 Independence
Avenue, SW., Washington, D.C. 20250.
For more information about the public meetings, contact Loraine Cannon
at (202) 690-6647 or by e-mail at NACMPI@fsis.usda.gov.
FSIS to Hold Regulatory Education Sessions for Small and Very
Small Plants
FSIS will hold regulatory education sessions for the owners and operators
of small and very small plants in California, North Carolina, Mississippi
and Colorado.
The sessions will cover a regulatory walk-through of sanitation standard
operating procedures and the hazard analysis and critical control
point and rules of practice regulations.
The regulatory education sessions will be held at the following locations:
October 18, from 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. at the Holiday Inn Sacramento Northeast,
5321 Date Avenue, Sacramento, Calif.;
October 18, from 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. at the Sheraton Raleigh Capital
Center Hotel, 421 South Salisbury Street, Raleigh, N.C.;
October 24, from 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. at the Clarion Hotel Jackson, 5075
Interstate 55 North Frontage Road, Jackson, Miss.; and
October 24, from 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. at the Four Points by Sheraton,
6363 E. Hampden Avenue, Denver, Colo.
To register by phone, call (800) 336-3747. Online registration forms
and information about upcoming sessions can be found at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/News_&_Events/
Outreach_Sessions_SVS_Plants/index.asp.
Export Tip of the Week
FSIS is certifying more and more egg products destined for foreign
countries. These products are accompanied by FSIS Form PY-200, Egg
Products Inspection and Grading Certificate.
Most of the importing countries require additional certification statements
which may be included on the PY-200. However, in certain cases, additional
certification must be provided using a letterhead certificate.
Several importing countries require an additional export document.
It is important to check the Export Library, which includes a section
dedicated exclusively to requirements for egg products prior to certifying
egg products destined for a foreign country. The requirements for
each of the importing countries are unique. Prior to shipping, exporters
should work closely with importers to confirm that the importing country
will accept the documentation provided by FSIS as indicated in the
country requirements.
Visit FSIS' Web site at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/
Regulations_&_Policies/Export_Information/index.asp to learn more about requirements
for exporting products to other countries.
To subscribe to the Export Library, go to http://www.fsis.usda.gov/
Regulations_&_Policies/
Export_Requirements_EV_Countries/.
Export Requirement Updates
The Library of Export Requirements has been updated to reflect changes
in export requirements for the following:
Complete information can be found at: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Regulations_&_Policies/
Export_Information/index.asp.
FSIS Issues Notice on Verification Procedures
FSIS issued Notice 63-06 to inform inspection program personnel of
the verification activities that should be performed regarding E.
coli O157:H7.
The agency is encouraging establishments that handle beef products
to design statistically-based sampling plans to purposefully find
this pathogen and then identify steps to reduce the likelihood of
its presence.
FSIS Directive 5000.2 clarifies that inspection program personnel
have access to a wide range of records under the Hazard Analysis and
Critical Control Point regulations.
It also provides instructions to review the establishment's testing
records as well as other establishment monitoring programs.
Notice 63-06 is available on FSIS' Web site at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OPPDE/rdad/FSISNotices/63-06.pdf
(PDF Only).
FSIS Issues Q & As for Notice 34-06
FSIS has issued a new set of questions and answers (Q & As) pertaining
to FSIS Notice 34-06, Certification of Intestines or Animal Casings
for Export.
The Q & As can be viewed on FSIS' Web site at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Regulations_&_Policies/
Notice_64-06/index.asp.
If you have additional questions, contact the Inspection and Enforcement
Initiatives Staff, Office of Policy, Program, and Employee Development
at (202) 205-0010.
Speeches Available on FSIS' Web Site
Visit http://www.fsis.usda.gov/News_&_Events/
2006_Speeches/index.asp
to view USDA Secretary Mike Johanns' and Under Secretary for Food
Safety Dr. Richard Raymond's September 27 remarks at the 2006 Food
Safety Education Conference in Denver, Colo.
Food Safety Q & A for College Students
Question: What are the important things to remember about food safety?
Answer: USDA's Meat and Poultry Hotline, in conjunction with the Partnership
for Food Safety Education's Fight BAC!® campaign, advises all consumers
to keep these four basic tips in mind when cooking and preparing foods:
- Clean. Wash hands and surfaces often.
- Separate. Separate raw meat, poultry and egg products from cooked foods to avoid cross-contamination.
- Cook. Raw meat, poultry and egg products need to be cooked thoroughly. Use a food thermometer to
ensure foods have reached a high enough temperature to kill any harmful bacteria that might be present.
- Chill. Refrigerate promptly.
For additional food safety information about meat, poultry or egg
products, call the toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-MPHotline
(1-888-674-6854); for the hearing impaired (TTY) 1-800-256-7072. |
Last Modified:
September 29, 2006 |
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