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Remaining E. coli Workshops:
Webcast Available
The final workshops on new directives designed to strengthen E.
coli O157:H7 prevention procedures will be held August 28 and
September 11 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The three FSIS directives to be
covered during the sessions are: Directive 10,010.1 Revision 1, Microbiological
Testing Program and Other Verification Activities for E. coli
O157:H7 in Raw Ground Beef Products and Raw Ground Beef Components
and Beef Patty Components; Directive 6420.0, Verification of Procedures
for Controlling Fecal Material, Ingesta and Milk in Slaughter Operations;
and Directive 5000.2, Review of Establishment Data by Inspection Program
Personnel. They are designed for operators of small and very small
federally-inspected plants, state-inspected plants, federal and state
inspection personnel, members of academia and other interested parties.
To reach even a greater number of participants, FSIS will webcast
the workshop from Philadelphia on August 28. Individuals who are not
able to travel to Philadelphia will have an opportunity to watch the
meeting in progress and ask questions in real time through their computers.
To connect to the webcast, participants will need a computer, speakers
and access to the Internet. Several people can participate from one
location!
There are 50 slots available for the webcast. Registration is required
for the web cast and will be accepted through August 18, 2004. Priority
will be given to small and very small federally-inspected plants,
state-inspected plants, federal and state inspection personnel, as
well as those hosting the webcast event for a large audience. Once
registration is confirmed, a customer service representative will
contact registrants. To register visit: www.fsis.usda.gov/News_&_Events/
Registration_082804_Webcast
The remaining workshops are scheduled as follows:
- August 28: Crown Plaza Philadelphia, 1800 Market Street, Philadelphia,
Pa. 19103, (215) 561-7500
- September 11: The Ambassador, 3100 I-40 West, Amarillo, Texas
79102, (806) 358-6161
To pre-register to attend the workshops, please call (866) 553-3052
or visit: www.fsis.usda.gov/News/Meetings_&_Events
National Advisory Committee on Meat and Poultry Seeking
Nominees
USDA announced this week that nominees are being sought for membership
on the National Advisory Committee on Meat and Poultry Inspection
(NACMPI).
Membership is drawn from a broad range of groups interested in food
safety including producers, processors, exporters and importers of
meat and poultry products, as well as those in academia, federal and
state government officials and consumers. All of these groups are
encouraged to nominate candidates as it is important for the NACMPI
to represent diverse constituencies. Committee appointments are made
by the Secretary of Agriculture.
Names of nominees and their typed curricula vitae, or resume, should
be sent to Dr. Barbara J. Masters, Acting Administrator, Food Safety
and Inspection Service, USDA, Room 405-Aerospace Building, 1400 Independence
Avenue, S.W., Washington, DC 20250-3700. The application must be postmarked
no later than September 5, 2004.
Applications are also available online at: www.fsis.usda.gov/About_FSIS/
NACMPI_Nominations/index.asp
Public Meeting
to Address Codex Meeting on Processed Fruits and Vegetables
A public meeting will be held to provide information and receive public
comments on agenda items that will be discussed at the 22nd Session
of the Codex Committee on Processed Fruits and Vegetables (CCPFV)
September 27 - October 1, 2004, in Alexandria, Va. The public meeting
will be will be held from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m Tuesday, August 31, 2004,
in Room 3501, South Building, USDA, 1400 Independence Ave., SW., Washington,
D.C. USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service and FSIS will co-sponsor.
The agenda items to be discussed at the public meeting include: consideration
of Codex Draft Revised Standards for various processed fruit and vegetable
products; proposals for Amendments to the Priority List for Standardization
of Processed Fruits and Vegetables; and Methods of Analysis and Sampling
for Processed Fruits and Vegetables.
The documents and complete agenda are also available at
http://www.codexalimentarius.net/web/current.jsp?lang=en
FSIS Announces 2003 Salmonella Data on Web Site
On Aug. 5, FSIS released regulatory sampling data showing a continued
downward trend in positive tests for Salmonella. The HACCP
rule established Salmonella performance standards in seven categories
of meat and poultry products: broilers, market hogs, cows/bulls, steer/heifer,
ground beef, ground chicken and ground turkey. As one part of an extensive
science-based food safety system, FSIS collects and analyzes Salmonella
samples to verify compliance with HACCP requirements. The testing
program was designed to track establishment performance, therefore
it may not be reflective of the nationwide prevalence of Salmonella
in these products.
Despite minor yearly fluctuations in individual categories, Salmonella
rates in all classes of products have decreased to levels well below
the HACCP baseline prevalence estimates. Of the random regulatory
samples collected and analyzed by FSIS in CY 2003, 3.8 percent tested
positive for Salmonella, as compared with 4.29 percent in
CY 2002; 5.03 percent in CY 2001; 5.31 percent in CY 2000; 7.26 percent
in CY1999; and 10.65 percent in CY 1998. For more information an Salmonella
testing data visit: www.fsis.usda.gov/science/microbiology
Upcoming National Advisory Committee on Microbiological
Criteria for Foods (NACMCF) Meetings
The National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods
(NACMCF) will hold public meetings Aug. 24-27. The full committee
will discuss performance standards for ground chicken and ground turkey,
the scientific basis for establishing safety-based "use by" date labels
for refrigerated ready-to-eat foods and scientific criteria for redefining
pasteurization. All meetings are open to the public and will be held
at the Hotel Monaco, 700 F Street, N.W., Washington, D.C.
The full committee will meet Friday, Aug. 27 from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Three NACMCF subcommittees will meet prior to the full committee meeting.
The Performance Standards for Ground Chicken/Ground Turkey subcommittee
will meet Aug. 24 from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Aug. 25 8:30 a.m. to
noon. The Scientific Criteria for Redefining Pasteurization subcommittee
will meet Aug. 25 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. The Scientific Basis for Establishing
Safety-Based "Use By" Date Labeling for Refrigerated Ready-to-Eat
Foods subcommittee will meet Aug. 26 from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
For further information contact Karen Thomas, Food Safety and Inspection
Service, Office of Public Health Microbiology Division, Aerospace
Center, Room 333, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington D.C.
20250-3700, phone (202) 690-6620.
Library of Export Requirement Updated
The Library of Export Requirements has been updated to reflect changes
in export requirements for the Armenia, European Union and France.
Complete information can be found at: www.fsis.usda.gov/regulations/Export_Information
Featured Office of the Week: Codex Alimentarius
The U.S. Codex Office, located in FSIS, USDA, is the U.S. Contact
Point for the Codex Alimentarius Commission and its activities. Codex
Alimentarius is the major international mechanism for encouraging
fair international trade in food while promoting the health and economic
interest of consumers. For more information visit: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Regulations/Codex_Alimentarius/
THIS WEEK'S HOT WEB LINKS
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Last Modified:
March 28, 2006 |
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