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Secretary Mike Johanns Announces Results of USDA Investigation of Ineligible Shipment
Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns held a live Web cast today in Washington, DC with media representatives
announcing the results of the USDA investigation of the ineligible shipment of meat to Japan. Johanns also
released a comprehensive USDA report that details the findings of the investigation and actions taken by USDA.
On January 20, an ineligible shipment arrived in Japan. This shipment was prohibited because the vertebral
column from a calf under 20 months of age was attached. This action is permissible in the United States, but
under an agreement with Japan, this was not eligible for export to that country. The report lists the facts
surrounding the ineligible shipment.
"The thoroughness of this report demonstrates just how serious we are about addressing this incident and
providing assurance to our trading partners that our system is among the best in the world," said Johanns.
"I believe our actions fully address the facts that led to this incident and provide added protections on
a broader scale to prevent similar problems in the future."
To view a transcript of the Secretary's remarks, go to
http://www.usda.gov/2006/02/0046.xml.
To view the report, visit FSIS' Web site at
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/PDF/
Japan_Export_Investigation_Report.pdf.
FSIS Issues Notice on Public Meeting on Advances in Post-Harvest Reduction of Salmonella in Poultry
FSIS published a Federal Register notice on February 13 titled, "Public Meeting on Advances in Post-Harvest
Reduction of Salmonella in Poultry."
The notice announces that FSIS will hold a public meeting on February 23 - 24, 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 meeting, which is scheduled for February 23, from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and February 24, from 8:30 a.m. to noon, will
be held at the Loudermilk Center, 40 Courtland Street, NE, Atlanta, GA 30303.
The agency is accepting comments through the Federal eRulemaking Portal at
http://www.regulations.gov or by electronic mail at
fsis.regulationscomments@fsis.usda.gov. The notice is available on FSIS' Web site at
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Frame/FrameRedirect.asp?main=http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OPPDE/rdad/FRPubs/2005-0048.htm.
FSIS Posts Salmonella Serotype Data on Web Site
Today FSIS posted to its Web site serotype profile data for Salmonella isolates from
meat and poultry products from January 1998, through December 2004.
Salmonella testing and serotype data are a basis for comparison with future post-Hazard Analysis
and Critical Control Point data collection. Along with complementary data from molecular and phenotypic
analyses, it also provides an opportunity to examine the association among serotypes isolated on-farm,
from meat and poultry products and from human cases of salmonellosis.
FSIS keeps abreast of serotypes of emerging concern to human health. The most recent U.S. human health
surveillance data reveals that Salmonella serotypes Typhimurium, Enteritidis, Newport, Javiana
and Heidelberg are the most commonly identified serotypes causing human infection in the United States.
The serotype data can be viewed on FSIS' Web site at
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Science/
Salmonella_Serotypes_1998-2004/index.asp.
USDA and Health and Human Services to Hold Public Meeting to Address Codex Committee on Food Additives and Contaminants
USDA's Office of the Under Secretary for Food Safety and the Department of Health and Human Service's Food
and Drug Administration (FDA) will hold a public meeting to provide information and receive public comments
on agenda items that will be discussed at the meeting of the 38th Codex Committee on Food Additives and
Contaminants (CCFAC) which will be held April 24 - 28, in the Hague, the Netherlands.
The public meeting will be held on March 6, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. in the auditorium of the Harvey W. Wiley
Federal Building, 5100 Paint Branch Parkway, College Park, MD 20740.
Agenda items may be accessed at www.codexalimentarius.net/current.asp.
For further information about the public meeting or for special accommodations, contact Ellen Matten, international
issues analyst, U.S. Codex Office, FSIS at (202) 205-7760.
National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods to Hold Public Meeting
The National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods (NACMCF) will hold a public meeting of the full
committee to discuss cooking parameters for seafood, consumer guidelines for safe cooking of poultry products and
the food safety importance and public health significance of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis.
The public meeting will be held on March 24, from 8:30 a.m. to noon at the Westin Arlington Gateway, 801 N. Glebe Road,
Arlington, VA 22203.
For further information about the public meeting, contact Karen Thomas, advisory committee specialist, at
(202) 690-6620 or by e-mail at
karen.thomas@fsis.usda.gov
FSIS Issues Notice on Labeling Compliance Policy Guide on Poultry Food Product Dating
FSIS issued Notice 7-06 on February 16, announcing the availability of FSIS' food safety compliance policy guide.
The notice titled, Availability of Labeling Compliance Policy Guide on Poultry Food Product Dating, explains the
current practices and clarifies the requirements of the regulations with regard to the appropriate use of pack dates
and slaughter dates on poultry food product labels.
The notice is available on FSIS' Web site at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/regulations_&_policies/
Notice_07-06/index.asp.
Export Requirement Updates
The Library of Export Requirements has been updated to reflect changes in export requirements for the following:
- Canada
- Costa Rica
- Russia
- Saudi Arabia
- Thailand
Complete information can be found at: www.fsis.usda.gov/
Regulations_&_Policies/Export_Information/. |
Last Modified:
March 28, 2006 |
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