USDA Announces a Proposed Rule to Modernize Swine Slaughter Inspection Systems

Today, USDA announced its continued effort to modernize inspection systems through science-based approaches to food safety. USDA is proposing to amend the federal meat inspection regulations to establish a new voluntary inspection system for market hog slaughter establishments called the New Swine Slaughter Inspection System (NSwpsIS), while also requiring additional pathogen sampling for all swine slaughter establishments. 

The proposed rule also allows innovation and flexibility to establishments that are slaughtering market hogs. Market hogs are uniform, healthy, young animals that can be slaughtered and processed in this modernized system more efficiently and effectively with enhanced process control.

For market hog establishments that opt into NSIS, the proposed rule would increase the number of offline USDA inspection tasks, while continuing 100 percent FSIS carcass-by-carcass inspection. These offline inspection tasks place inspectors in areas of the production process where they can perform critical tasks that have direct impact on food safety.

This proposal would also amend the regulations that apply to all establishments that slaughter swine. The new requirements would ensure that establishments implement measures to control enteric pathogens that can cause foodborne illness. Specifically, all swine slaughter establishments would be required to implement appropriate measures to prevent contamination throughout the entire production process in their Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) plans, Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures (Sanitation SOPs), or other prerequisite programs. The new requirements would ensure that both USDA and the establishment have the documentation they need to verify the effectiveness of these measures on an ongoing basis.

There will be a 60-day period for comment once the rule is published in the Federal Register.

To view the proposed rule and information on how to comment on the rule, visit the FSIS website at: https://www.fsis.usda.gov/federal-register/rules/modernization-swine-slaughter-inspection.

FSIS Expands Ceftiofur Method

The FSIS Chemistry Laboratory Guidebook method, “Quantitation and Confirmation of Desfuroylceftiofur Cysteine Disulfide by LC-MS-MS” has been updated. The method now detects ceftiofur in beef or pork kidney and muscle tissues. The method will be available at: https://www.fsis.usda.gov/news-events/publications/chemistry-laboratory-guidebook. The Agency will begin using this method after Feb. 19, 2018.

Webinar on Salmonella categories

On Jan. 16, 2018, FSIS hosted a webinar about posting of individual Salmonella category status for poultry carcass establishments. The content from this webinar is available online at: https://www.fsis.usda.gov/news-events/events-meetings?f%5B0%5D=event_type%3A375.  

FSIS Upgrades PHIS Reports on the FSIS Website

FSIS is performing a software upgrade to its PHIS reports application. After the upgrade is complete, you might notice some small changes in the look and feel of PHIS reports. You may also notice some performance improvements with the more data-intensive reports. If you notice any errors or problems with the functionality of reports, please notify FSIS through the Service Desk at 1-800-473-9135. For more information, visit: https://www.fsis.usda.gov/inspection/import-export/phis-components.   

E. coli Testing Update

FSIS posts biweekly updates of the Agency’s raw ground beef E. coli sampling program, which includes testing results of raw ground beef component samples for E. coli O157:H7 and Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STECs) from FSIS routine and follow-up sampling programs. Data are also presented for non-O157 STECs by each non-O157 STEC serogroup.

Between June 4, 2012 and Jan. 14, 2018, FSIS laboratory services analyzed a total of 21,494 beef trim samples (17,489 domestic and 4,005 imported), 4,531 routine follow-up samples (4,417 domestic and 114 imported) and 364 non-routine follow-up/traceback samples. 211 samples were found to be positive; 127 were domestic trim samples, 11 were imported trim samples, 69 were domestic follow-up samples, and four were non-routine follow-up/traceback samples. To date, three samples have been positive for both O157:H7 and at least one non-O157 STEC strain, and 11 samples have been positive for two different non-O157 O-groups.

To review testing results, visit the E. coli data tables at https://www.fsis.usda.gov/science-data/data-sets-visualizations/microbiology.

Policy Updates

FSIS notices and directives on public health and regulatory issues are available at: https://www.fsis.usda.gov/policy/directives-notices.  The following policy updates was recently issued:

• Notice 05-18 - 2018 Mileage Reimbursement Rates

Export Requirements Updates

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

• Costa Rica
• Kazakhstan

For a complete list of countries, visit https://www.fsis.usda.gov/inspection/import-export.