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FSIS to Hold Regulatory Education Sessions for Small and Very Small Plants
FSIS will hold regulatory education sessions on October 24, for the owners and operators of small and very
small plants in 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 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.
FSIS Solicits Comments on Risk-Based Inspection
FSIS is soliciting comments on the topics that were discussed during the public meeting on risk-based inspection (RBI).
FSIS held the public meeting on October 10 and 11, to discuss risk-based inspection issues. The meeting provided an
overview of FSIS' vision for risk-based inspection. Agenda items also included discussions on measuring establishment
risk control, measuring inherent product risk and risk-based inspection implementation.
The agency is accepting comments until October 27. Comments can be submitted by e-mail to RiskBasedInspection@fsis.usda.gov
or by fax to (202) 690-6519.
For more information about risk-based inspection, the workshop meeting materials and background and
technical papers, visit FSIS' Web site at
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/
Regulations/Risk_Based_Inspection/
FSIS to Issue Directives and Notices
The agency revised Directive 5420.5 (PDF Only)
on October 19, titled, Homeland Security Threat Condition Response Intelligence Reports and Communications.
This directive details the procedures that FSIS' Office of Food Defense and Emergency Response should follow when the
Department of Homeland Security declares a threat condition yellow, orange or red.
FSIS also issued Notice 69-06, on October 20, titled,
Export Certification of Imported Natural Casings. The notice instructs inspection program personnel on
what is required to certify for export natural casings that were imported from other countries.
The directive and notice can be viewed on FSIS' Web site at
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Regulations_&_Policies/index.asp.
Within the next month, FSIS expects to issue the following directives and notices:
Directives
- 5000.3 - Segregation of Adulterated Product. This directive provides inspection program
personnel with instructions for verifying that an establishment identifies, segregates and properly holds
adulterated product that has been returned to or received by the establishment for further processing. This
directive also addresses products that an establishment holds pending receipt of FSIS or establishment
testing results.
- 7000.1 - Verification of Non-Food Safety Consumer Protection Regulatory Requirements. This directive
provides updated instructions for verifying compliance with the regulatory requirements designed to
provide consumer protections other than food safety. This directive also issues new inspection system
procedures for all the 04 and 05B procedures.
Notices
(Numbers are assigned as notices are issued.)
- Use of Training Material. This notice clarifies the appropriate use of FSIS workforce training material.
- Use of Results from Non-Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) Laboratories. This notice describes
the decision-making process FSIS uses when determining whether it is appropriate to rely on results from a non-FSIS laboratory.
Export Tip of the Week
The following is a correction to the "Export Tip of the Week" that appeared in last week's issue of the Constituent Update.
Since the reopening of markets to U.S. boneless beef, it has become clear that some countries implement defect criteria
for boneless beef which include bone fragments.
While FSIS does not consider this to be a food safety issue, exporters should be aware that this policy does exist in
certain countries.
It is imperative that exporters work closely with importers to determine if such policies exist and, if so, that boneless
beef products exported to these countries will meet their requirements and will be allowed entry upon their arrival
at the port.
FSIS inspection officials should continue to certify boneless beef products, provided the product meets all USDA
regulatory requirements (including labeling) as a boneless beef product.
FSIS re-inspection activities related to exports of meat products should continue to be applied as they are today;
that is, in accordance with FSIS policy as outlined in FSIS Directive 9040.1, Revision 3,
Re-inspection of Product Intended for Export (PDF only).
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.
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.
Foodborne Illness: What Consumers Need to Know
Foodborne illness often presents itself as flu-like symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or fever, so many
people may not recognize the illness is caused by bacteria or other pathogens in food.
Bacteria that cause disease are called pathogens. When certain pathogens enter the food supply, they can cause foodborne
illness. Millions of cases of foodborne illness occur each year. Most cases of foodborne illness can be prevented.
Proper cooking or processing of food destroys bacteria.
Age and physical condition place some persons at higher risk than others, no matter what type of bacteria is implicated.
Very young children, pregnant women, the elderly and people with compromised immune systems are at greatest risk from
any pathogen. Some persons may become ill after ingesting only a few harmful bacteria; others may remain symptom
free after ingesting thousands.
For more information about foodborne illness, visit FSIS' Web site at
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Help/FAQs_Hotline_Illness/
index.asp#2.
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Last Modified:
September 10, 2008 |
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