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FSIS to Hold Salmonella in Poultry Public Meeting
On February 23 and 24, FSIS will hold a public meeting in Atlanta, GA to discuss post-harvest interventions to
reduce Salmonella in poultry. The meeting will inform establishments of the research that is being
conducted pertaining to Salmonella testing for broilers and the Agency's policy to protect public health.
This meeting is a follow-up to the August 2005, public meeting on
advances in pre-harvest reduction of Salmonella in poultry.
The public meeting is scheduled for Thursday, February 23, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and for Friday, February
24, from 8:30 a.m. to noon. The meeting will be held at the Loudermilk Center, 40 Courtland Street, NE, Atlanta, GA
30303.
Registration information will be provided on FSIS' Web site
soon.
Technical Service Center (TSC) Issues Questions and Answers for FSIS Notice 32-05
FSIS has issued a new set of questions and answers (Q & A's) pertaining to FSIS Notice 32-05,
Verification of Establishment's Reassessment of HACCP Plans to Address Mechanically Tenderized Beef.
The Technical Service Center serves as FSIS' center for technical assistance, advice and guidance regarding the
implementation of national policies, programs, systems and procedures.
To view the "TSC Questions and Answers" page, visit FSIS' Web site at
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/About_FSIS/
Technical_Service_Center/index.asp.
If you have questions regarding the Q & As, contact the Technical Service Center at (800) 233-3935.
FSIS to Issue Directives and Notices
As a public health regulatory agency, FSIS publishes directives and notices to enable the Agency to carry out its
mission of protecting public health. Within the next month, FSIS expects to issue the following directives and notices:
Directives
5100.3, Rev. 1 - Administrative Enforcement Report (FSIS is revising this directive to clarify who may
take photographs and when.)
5220.2 - Issuance of a Ten-day Letter for Inactive Operations (This directive sets out the actions that
a district manager may take with an establishment that is not operating or has not responded to district office
inquiries as to its operational status and intentions.)
9000.1 - Export Certification (FSIS is reissuing this directive to clarify current Agency policy
regarding the export certification process. This directive clarifies the process if an FSIS certifying official
feels that he or she is unable to sign an export certificate and makes it clear that a facsimile of FSIS Form
9060-6 may be used to provide the information requested in that form. It also clarifies the purpose of the
export library and other aspects of the directive.)
9040.1, Rev. 3 - Re-inspection of Product Intended for Export (This directive has been revised to provide
for the examination of boxes or containers in situations where inspection program personnel have a reason to question
whether products offered for export are properly labeled.)
10,240.4, Rev. 1 - Verification Procedures for the Listeria
monocytogenes (Lm) - PHASE 2 (This revision provides additional
sampling procedures related to Lm. This was a notice that is now being
changed into two directives.)
10,240.5 - Assessment of the Listeria
monocytogenes (Lm) Regulations - PHASE 2 (This directive provides
enforcement, investigations and analysis officers with instructions
regarding environmental sampling and methodology for assessments based
on lab results.)
Notices
(Numbers are assigned as notices are issued)
PBIS Profile Extension Instructions on Food Defense Plans (This
notice provides instructions to inspectors-in-charge for completing
the profile extension about an establishment's food defense plan.)
Importation of Canadian Cattle, Sheep and Goats into the United
States (This notice provides instructions to FSIS personnel regarding
the receipt, slaughter and inspection of certain ruminants imported
from Canada. Regulatory requirements for the importation of certain
Canadian ruminants began March 7, 2005, and applies to cattle, sheep
and goats.)
Certifying Beef Products under Export Verification (EV)
Programs (This notice provides FSIS personnel with new instructions
related to the FSIS certification process for beef products exported
under EV programs. Primarily, this notice announces that an additional
review of the certifying documents will be conducted by the Technical
Service Center before the product may be shipped.)
Office of Inspector General (OIG) Issues Final Report on Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
(BSE) Surveillance Program
On February 2, OIG publicly released its
final report on Phase II and III of its ongoing investigation of USDA's
BSE surveillance and controls program.
The final report contained 22 recommendations directed at the Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Service (APHIS) and FSIS.
The OIG has approved all of FSIS' proposed
actions in response to the recommendations contained in the report.
A significant number of the recommendations were already addressed
by FSIS.
The objectives of this audit were to evaluate the enforcement
of the ban on specified risk materials and administration of FSIS'
testing program for central nervous system (CNS) tissue and controls
to prevent CNS tissue in meat from the advanced meat recovery systems.
The audit also evaluated APHIS' and FSIS' actions in response to recommendations
in the BSE Surveillance Program - Phase I audit report.
To view FSIS
Administrator Dr. Barbara Masters' statement in response to the OIG
report, visit FSIS' Web site at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/News_&_Events/
NR_020206_01/index.asp.
Export Requirement Updates
The Library of Export Requirements has
been updated to reflect changes in export requirements for the following:
- Canada
- European Union
- Lebanon
- People's Republic of China
- Singapore
- Taiwan
- Vietnam
Complete information can be found at: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Regulations_&_Policies/
Export_Information/index.asp.
Hot Link
The electronic Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) reading
room on FSIS' Web site will now be updated weekly to include a list
of the agency's incoming FOIA requests. Visit the FOIA reading room
at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/FOIA/
FSIS_Electronic_Reading_Room/index.asp#Request
for more information.
Meat, Poultry and Egg Product Inspection Directory Available by email Subscription
FSIS' email subscription service
is now available for the meat, poultry and egg product inspection
directory. This directory lists establishments that produce meat,
poultry and/or egg products regulated by FSIS.
The email alert service
provides automatic and customized access to specific food safety news
and information. Customers who subscribe to the directory alert will
be notified via email when updates have been made to the directory.
To subscribe, go to http://fsis.usda.gov/Regulations_&_&Policies/
Meat_Poultry_Egg_Inspection_Directory/index.asp.
Hot Link
On January 27, FSIS published a news release on "Food Safety
Advice for Your Super Bowl Party." To view, visit FSIS' Web site at
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/News_&_Events/
NR_012706_01/index.asp.
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Last Modified:
February 3, 2006 |
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