FSIS Extends Deadlines for Retained Water Protocols

On January 17, 2025, FSIS responded to comments on the guideline and announced the availability of its revised Guideline for Controlling Retained Water in Raw Meat and Poultry. The guideline is intended to assist meat and poultry establishments in meeting the regulatory requirements concerning limits for water retained by raw, single-ingredient, meat and poultry products from post-evisceration processing, such as carcass washing and chilling. FSIS updated the guideline and provided additional clarification on arithmetic errors in establishment Retained Water Protocol (RWP) reviews. In addition, FSIS provided additional information on how establishments may address statistical variability.

In response to requests from associations representing the poultry industry, FSIS is announcing it will give establishments additional time to submit their revised RWPs to the Risk Management and Innovations Staff (RMIS) via askFSIS for review. FSIS is also delaying the date that Office of Field Operations (OFO) will start reviewing establishments’ RWPs. Establishments will have until May 2, 2025, to submit their RWPs to RMIS. OFO will begin reviewing RWPs on December 1, 2025. FSIS is not delaying the date by which establishments need to have accurate labels. Establishments will still have until January 1, 2026, to make any necessary label changes.

FSIS to Update Allergen Analysis Method

FSIS is updating the allergen method chapter that is used to analyze samples from the Allergen Verification Sampling Program for Ready-To-Eat (RTE) Products. This update only affects work performed by laboratory analysts and does not impact how samples are collected or results reported. The updated method will be posted no later than February 17, 2025, on the Chemistry Laboratory Guidebook page of the FSIS website.

Screening and Confirmation of Allergens by xMAP® Food Allergen Detection Assay (CLG-ALG1) is the FSIS method for screening and confirming 14 food allergens as well as gluten in RTE products. The updated version has an improved introduction section that provides additional scientific information describing the xMAP® Food Allergen Detection Assay Kit for food allergen analysis. The method overview has also been enhanced to provide greater clarity to processes involved in the assay in response to feedback.
Other changes improve the method’s efficiency for analyzing samples within the FSIS laboratory environment. The procedure clarifies preparing positive controls and includes an additional standard level to improve the screening step and reduce turnaround times.

Please direct questions regarding specific elements of any method to askFSIS.

FSIS to Onboard Philippines in PHIS Export Component

Starting May 19, 2025, all export certificates for FSIS meat and poultry products exported to the Philippines will be generated, issued, and officially maintained in FSIS’ Public Health Information System (PHIS). This change excludes certificates for casings and egg products. FSIS plans to make the Philippines PHIS Industry Test Environment (ITE) available for testing on February 17, 2025.

All export certificates (FSIS Form 9060-5 series) generated through PHIS will be digitally signed by FSIS and will be printed on plain paper by industry personnel with PHIS access. These plain paper forms must include the PHIS-generated watermark. Any attestations for the Philippines, as documented in the FSIS Export Library, will be captured in the FSIS Form 9060-5 remarks section or the FSIS Form 9060-5B (continuation sheet). The digitally signed FSIS Form 9060-5 series printed on plain watermarked paper and available for validation in PHIS will replace all letterhead certificates for meat and poultry products exported to the Philippines. Beginning May 19, 2025, no wet-signed 9060-5 series export certificates, including letterhead certificates, will be issued for these products for export to the Philippines.

When FSIS makes the ITE available on February 17, 2025, industry is strongly encouraged to use the ITE to test application submittals for export to the Philippines. Please note that an electronic identification account with identity verification steps is required for all persons who will access PHIS, for both the test environment and the live production environment. User accounts are disabled for those who have not used PHIS in 60 days. For those new to the PHIS export component, please register with Login.gov to initiate, update, or complete the electronic identification account and the PHIS enrollment process. Instructions can be found in the PHIS Industry User Guide, section 2 (Overview of PHIS).

For further guidance on PHIS export and enrollment, please refer to the following user guides:

• PHIS Industry User Guide
• Editing 9060 Records Quick Reference Guide
• PHIS Quick Reference Guide for Corporate and Establishment Management

Please contact internationalcoordination@usda.gov with questions regarding these changes. Technical questions can be directed to PHISTechnicalQA@usda.gov.

USDA’s 2025 Agricultural Outlook Forum

USDA is holding the 101st Agricultural Outlook Forum (AOF) February 27-28 in Arlington, Virginia. AOF is USDA’s largest annual gathering and the agricultural sector’s premier event. This year’s forum, “Meeting Tomorrow’s Challenges Today,” is being held both in-person and virtually. Interested parties are invited to register for the forum to attend and there is no charge for attending the event virtually. All sessions will be livestreamed.

This year’s FSIS session is Food Safety in Modern Supply Chains on February 28, 10-11:30 AM ET, moderated by Robert Witte, the Deputy Assistant Administrator for the Office of Investigation, Enforcement and Audit. The session will explore the complexities of our food supply chains and how they can impact food safety. The panel will discuss a variety of relevant issues and tools, including wholesale models, retail distribution points, tracebacks and traceability. Representatives from different points along supply chains will discuss the emerging and converging challenges within our evolving food supply chains.

See the AOF's Program at a Glance for information about sessions by other USDA agencies. FSIS and other agencies will also be at the on-site exhibit hall and have information in a virtual exhibit booth.

FSIS to Post Individual Category Status and Aggregate Results for Poultry Carcasses, Chicken Parts, and Comminuted Poultry Tested for Salmonella

On February 20, 2025, FSIS will post the individual establishment Salmonella performance standard category information for:

• raw poultry carcasses;
• raw chicken parts; and
• comminuted poultry products.

Additionally, FSIS will post the aggregate sampling results showing the number of establishments in categories 1, 2, or 3 for establishments producing young poultry carcasses, raw chicken parts, or not ready-to-eat (NRTE) comminuted poultry products.

The updates can be found on the Salmonella Verification Testing Program Monthly Posting page on the FSIS website.

Available for Public Comment

FSIS seeks public comments on proposed rules and notices, which are viewable on the FSIS Federal Register & Rulemaking webpage. FSIS is currently seeking comments on the following:

• Until March 5, 2025: Food Date Labeling

Policy Update

FSIS notices and directives on public health and regulatory issues are available on the FSIS Policy webpage. The following policy update was recently issued:

FSIS Notice 04-25 - Financial Management Modernization Initiative System Upgrade

FSIS Directive 12800.1 - Inspection Coverage for Reimbursable Overtime Inspection and Operations Occurring Without Required Inspection Services

Export Requirements Update

The Library of Export Requirements has been updated for products for the following:

• Mexico
• Hong Kong
• Cuba
• Singapore
• Japan
• Spain
• Philippines
• North Macedonia
• Azerbaijan
• Colombia
• Ukraine
• European Union
• Canada
• Nicaragua
• St. Lucia
• El Salvador

Complete information can be found at the FSIS Import & Export Library.