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USDA to Host Public Meeting on Animal Raising Claims
FSIS and USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) will host a public meeting
on October 14 to discuss and review its policies on the use of animal raising claims in the labeling of meat and poultry products.
FSIS evaluates animal raising claims by considering information on animal production practices submitted by companies
as part of their label approval requests. However, recent events concerning labeling claims related to the use of
antibiotics in the raising of poultry have led the Agency to question its ability to verify that labels of meat and
poultry products that contain animal raising claims are truthful and not misleading.
Therefore, FSIS and AMS will solicit public input and review its policies on claims related to the use of antibiotics in
poultry and on animal raising claims in general.
The meeting will be held from 8:30 a.m. and adjourn at 12:30 p.m. It will be held at the L'Enfant Plaza Hotel,
480 L'Enfant Plaza, S.W., Washington, D.C. An agenda will be available for review on FSIS' Web site at
www.fsis.usda.gov/
News_&_Events/meetings_&_events/index.asp.
FSIS to Host Public Meeting Regarding the Control of E. coli O157:H7: Addressing Sampling Methodologies and Compliance Guidelines
FSIS will host a public meeting on October 14 and 15 regarding control of E. coli O157:H7. This one-and-a-half day
public meeting will address uniformity and consistency of sampling methodology for E. coli O157:H7, both by industry and FSIS.
FSIS will also address E. coli O157:H7 compliance guidelines and will also use the meeting to gather
input from stakeholders on other E. coli O157:H7 control issues that need to be addressed which will be compiled
into a list of discussion topics for future public meetings.
More information on the location and an upcoming agenda will be available soon at www.fsis.usda.gov/
News_&_Events/meetings_&_events/index.asp.
FSIS Updates E. coli O157:H7 Reports
FSIS has updated Escherichia coli (E. coli) O157:H7 testing data to include information through September 14, 2008.
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| Results
from Analysis of Raw Ground Beef and Raw Ground Beef Component Samples for E. coli
O157:H7 |
| Raw Ground Beef |
| Source |
As of Sep 16, 2007 |
As of Sep 14, 2008 |
No.
Ana- lyzed |
No. Positive |
Percent Positive |
No.
Ana- lyzed
|
No. Positive |
Percent Positive |
Federal
Plants |
8,573 |
16 |
0.19 |
8,117 |
31 |
0.38 |
| Retail Stores |
127 |
0 |
0.00 |
282 |
0 |
0.00 |
| Imports |
61 |
0 |
0.00 |
38 |
1 |
2.63 |
| Raw Ground Beef Components |
| Source |
As of Sep 16, 2007 |
As of Sep 14, 2008 |
No.
Ana- lyzed |
No. Positive |
Percent Positive |
No.
Ana- lyzed
|
No. Positive |
Percent Positive |
Federal
Plants |
406 |
2 |
0.49 |
1,541 |
10 |
0.65 |
| Imports |
0 |
0 |
0.00 |
385 |
2 |
0.52 |
| The above information is based upon data in the FSIS electronic data system as of
September 16, 2008. Results are from FSIS routine and follow-up sampling programs. |
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For the week ending September 14, 2008, four new positives have been reported. Three positives occurred in the testing of raw ground beef in
federal plants, and one positive occurred in the testing of raw ground beef components in federal plants. For these four recent
positive test results, the product was held by the establishments and not released into commerce. FSIS will continue to monitor these events.
Individual positive results from the raw ground beef sampling programs for 2008 are reported on FSIS' Web site at
www.fsis.usda.gov/Science/2008_Ecoli_Positive_Results/
index.asp.
Export Requirement Updates
The Library of Export Requirements has been updated to reflect changes in export requirements for the following:
- Chile
- Japan
- People's Republic of China
Complete information can be found at www.fsis.usda.gov/Regulations_&_Policies/
Export_Information/index.asp.
Agency Opens Comment Period for Low Dose Irradiation Public Meeting
FSIS held a public meeting on September 18 to discuss what action the Agency should take with respect to the use of low dose
irradiation as a processing aid.
Individuals may submit comments through the Federal eRulemaking Portal at www.regulations.gov until October 18.
Transcripts for this meeting will be made available on FSIS' Web site. Look to future issues of FSIS' Constituent Update for more updates.
NACMCF and its Subcommittees to Hold Public Meetings
The National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods (NACMCF) will hold
public meetings from September 22 through 26 to discuss parameters for inoculated-pack challenge study protocols and determination of the
most appropriate technologies for FSIS to adopt in performing routine and baseline microbiological analyses.
The full committee will meet on September 26 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the USDA's South Building Cafeteria, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W. Washington, D.C.
In addition, the subcommittees will meet for separate discussions at the Aerospace Building, 901 D Street, S.W, in Room 369, Washington, D.C.
from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on September 22 and 23 as well as September 24 and 25.
The NACMCF meeting agenda and other materials will be made available on FSIS' Web site at www.fsis.usda.gov/
News_&_Events/Meetings_&_Events/index.asp.
Persons interested in making a presentation, submitting technical papers or providing comments at the September 26 plenary session should contact
Karen Thomas-Sharp at (202) 690-6620 or Karen Thomas-Sharp by September. 17.
Public Meeting: Codex Committee to Address Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses
FSIS and the Food and Drug Administration announced a public meeting to provide information and receive
comments on agenda items and draft U.S. positions that will be discussed at the 30th Session of the Codex Committee on Nutrition and
Foods for Special Dietary Uses, to be held in Cape Town, South Africa, November 3 through 7.
The public meeting is scheduled for September 24 from 1 to 4 p.m. at 5100 Paint Branch Parkway, Harvey Wiley Federal Building, Room 1A003,
College Park, Maryland. To review the related press release in detail, visit www.fsis.usda.gov/
News_&_Events/NR_091508_02/index.asp.
For more information about the public meeting contact Edith Kennard at (202) 720-5261 or
Edith.Kennard@fsis.usda.gov.
Persons requiring a sign language interpreter or other special accommodations for the public meeting should notify Doreen Chen-Moulec at (202) 205-7760.
Revised FSIS Testing Methodology for E. coli O157:H7
FSIS has revised the laboratory methodology guidebook, chapter 5.04 for
detecting and identifying E. coli O157:H7 in regulatory verification samples.
To reflect changes made January 28, the revision describes the use of an improved enrichment broth and confirmatory identification
procedures for E. coli O157:H7.
New protocols include an updated limit of the level at which E. coli O157:H7 can be detected for various products and new
instructions for preparing sub-samples of beef manufacturing trimmings and other ground beef components as well as preparing
environmental sponge samples for E. coli O157:H7 analysis.
FSIS invites interested persons to submit comments through the Federal eRulemaking Portal at www.regulations.gov.
To view the related Federal Register notice in detail, visit
www.fsis.usda.gov/Frame/FrameRedirect.asp?main=http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OPPDE/rdad/FRPubs/2008-0007.htm.
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Last Modified:
September 19, 2008 |
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