Questions and Answers for Updated BSE Procedures
FSIS issued an updated notice, FSIS Notice 28-04, outlining the protocol for sample collection for cattle condemned during anti-mortem inspection for BSE by FSIS personnel. These procedures supercede FSIS notice 18-03, dated May 27, 2003, which expired on June 1.

As a follow-up FSIS issued notice 29-04 to address issues, regarding ante-mortem condemned cattle. The following issues are addressed:

1. Expectations regarding the Animal and Plant Health Inspection (APHIS) arrangements with establishments to test condemned cattle at a central location,
2. Questions that the Public Health Veterinarians (PHV) should ask the establishment management at the awareness meeting or at the on-going weekly meeting, to better understand the establishment's identification and control procedures for dead cattle, non-ambulatory disabled cattle and condemned ambulatory cattle,
3. Why FSIS Notice 28-04 stated that FSIS would not collect brain samples from cattle condemned on ante-mortem inspection that the establishment elects to have treated pursuant to 9 CFR 309.13(b).
4. A corrected form number for reimbursement associated with FSIS sample collections (BSE Sampling Tracking Sheet)
5. Whether or not cattle have to be presented for ante-mortem inspection in order to be subject to sample collection,
6. If the PHV is responsible for determining whether the sample is of acceptable quality, (i.e., whether autolysis has not occurred), before submitting a sample to the laboratory,
7. PHV and rabies vaccinations and
8. A revised list of the laboratories where PHVs are to send samples.

Directive: Recall of Meat and Poultry products
In order to improve the effectiveness of recalls, FSIS has developed and issued revised Directive 8080.1, "Recall of Meat and Poultry Products." This directive, issued last week, will enhance the instructions and guidance to agency personnel responsible for verifying the effectiveness of a recall. To enhance speed and efficiency, the revised directive enables the collection of product distribution information at the plant to begin prior to microbiological testing results becoming final. The Agency is also increasing the number of effectiveness checks it carries out during Class I recalls, those posing the greatest potential adverse health consequences, and in cases where products have been distributed to at-risk populations. The revised directive includes timeframes for reporting verification activities within FSIS and includes provisions for locating products at point of sale and ensuring the proper disposition of recalled product. For more information please visit: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Regulations_&_Policies/8000_Series-Compliance_Evaluation_&_Enforcement/index.asp

Upcoming Codex Meeting
The 27th session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission will take place at the International Conference Center in Geneva, Switzerland from June 28-July 3, 2004. The U.S. Codex Office will hold a public meeting in preparation for the session on Tuesday, June 15, 2004 in Room 107A Jamie Whitten Building. This meeting will provide draft U.S. Positions on items on the provisional agenda and to take public comment.

Items on the agenda include procedural matters related to the Codex Procedural Manual, preliminary and final adoption of Codex Standards and related texts, and program and budgetary matters. Other agenda items include the Joint FAO/WHO Evaluation of Codex, the Trust Fund for Enhanced Participation in Codex, and the relations between Codex and other International Organizations.

The agenda items and more information for the Geneva, Switzerland meeting can be found at: http://www.codexalimentarius.net/codex/codex27_en.htm

Upcoming June E. coli O157:H7 Workshops
From May through September 2004, FSIS will hold a series of teaching workshops around the nation for small and very small plants on new directives designed to strengthen E. coli O157:H7 prevention procedures. The workshops are scheduled on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. They will present the materials in the directives to operators of small and very small federally-inspected plants, state-inspected plants, federal and state inspection personnel, members of academia and other interested parties. 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 Escherichia 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. The workshops scheduled for June are as follows:

• Saturday, June 5 - Hotel Sofitel Los Angeles Registration, 8555 Beverly Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90048, (310) 278-5444
• June 12 - Doubletree Hotel Coconut Grove, 2649 South Bayshore Drive, Miami, Florida, (305) 858 - 2500
• June 19 - The St. Anthony (A Wynhdam Historic Hotel), 300 East Travis, San Antonio, Texas, (210) 227 - 4392
• June 26 - Renaissance Boulder Suites Hotel at Flatiron, 500 Flatiron Blvd., Broomfield, CO, (303) 464 - 8400

Notice: Verification of Implant Usage in Non-Ruminating Calves
FSIS issued a notice advising inspection program personnel that the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) discretionary enforcement guidelines referenced in FSIS Notice 23-04 are no longer in effect as of June 6, 2004. In addition, this notice provides instructions for inspection program personnel to use when they suspect the use of implants in non-ruminating calves.

Between April 5, 2004, to June 5, 2004, FDA determined that meat from non-ruminating calves that had been implanted but from which the drug had been withdrawn for 63 days was acceptable. FDA determined that meat from these veal calves would not pose a risk to human health if there was only short term consumption of the meat. This discretionary enforcement period has ended. As a result, after June 5, 2004, each non-ruminating calf presented for slaughter that bears an implant or on which there is evidence of implant use is to be condemned because FSIS cannot determine that the carcass is fit for food.

FDA has determined that implanted calves that have a functioning rumen may be passed for food. For more information on this notice please visit: FSIS Notices Index

Library of Export Requirement Updated
The Library of Export Requirements has been updated to reflect changes in export requirements for Belize, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, European Union, Guatemala, Indonesia, Mexico and Trinidad. Complete information can be found at: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/regulations/Export_Information/

The USDA Food Safety Mobile
Taking Food Safety Education on the Road
The USDA Food Safety Mobile is a 35-foot, recreational-style vehicle covered with a bold, eye-catching design and prominent food safety messages, including the four Fight
BAC!® messages of the Partnership for Food Safety Education.

• June 5: Short North Gallery Hop, Columbus, OH
• June 6: Columbus Zoo, Powell, OH
• June 9: Elementary School, Bowie, MD
• June 11-13: Harborfest, Norfolk, VA

Featured Office of the Week: Strategic Initiatives Partnerships and Outreach
Strategic Initiatives Partnerships and Outreach (SIPO) is dedicated to ensuring FSIS' strategic vision guides agency decision and to help further FSIS' important food safety and public health goals. SIPOS outreach efforts include the widely attended BSE workshops held across the country earlier this year. Following the success of these workshops a new series addressing E-coli 0157H are being held throughout the summer. SIPO is determined to strengthen Federal-State partnerships and also coordinates the work of the National Advisory Committee on Meat and Poultry Inspection.

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