FSIS Posts Foodborne Outbreak After-Action Review Report

FSIS has posted on its website an after-action review report of a 2018 outbreak of Salmonella Typhimurium illnesses associated with chicken salad. From Feb. through April 2018, public health officials in Iowa, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and FSIS investigated an outbreak of 265 Salmonella enterica serotype Typhimurium illnesses linked to chicken salad sold at multiple stores from the same corporation. Early identification of this outbreak allowed public health officials and industry stakeholders to act quickly to protect consumers. To view the full report, please visit https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/foodborne-illness-and-disease/outbreaks/outbreak-investigations-response.

FSIS will continue updating its Foodborne Illness Investigations Reports webpage with additional outbreak after-action review reports in the future. The purpose of these reports is to share lessons learned from outbreak investigations with industry and public health partners to help prevent illness and improve response.

Additional resources for public health partners regarding FSIS foodborne illness investigations can be found at https://www.fsis.usda.gov/phpartners.

FSIS Posts Updated Dataset on Imports

On July 15, 2019, FSIS will update the publicly posted dataset on import refusals for products regulated by FSIS. Federal law requires every commercial shipment of imported meat, poultry, and egg products to be inspected prior to product entering U.S. commerce. FSIS inspects each shipment to verify labeling, proper certification, general condition, any signs of tampering and to identify product adulterated by transportation damage. FSIS also performs additional activities on a random and/or for-cause basis such as physical product examination and laboratory sampling for pathogens and chemical residues. Any product that does not meet FSIS requirements is refused entry, and the importer has up to 45 days (30 days for egg products) to have the product destroyed for use as human food, re-exported/returned to the foreign country, converted to animal food, or brought into compliance with FSIS requirements, if applicable (e.g. relabeled, remarked, replacement certificate). This dataset is updated around the 15th of each month and contains each shipment with product that was refused entry. For more information, please visit https://www.fsis.usda.gov/science-data/data-sets-visualizations.

Label Backlog Update and Tips for the Label Approval Process

FSIS is currently experiencing a delay of about 17-18 business days in evaluations for labels that require review prior to use. By providing industry with label application submission tips and suggestions via the Constituent Update, FSIS is hopeful that it will achieve a faster, more efficient label evaluation process.

TIP: Meat and poultry establishments do not need to change the nutrition format on their labels. If meat and poultry establishments decide to voluntarily modify their nutrition facts panel to meet the revised Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) format requirements, one FSIS sketch approval must be on file for each new format.

FSIS proposed changes to the 9 CFR nutrition labeling regulations for meat and poultry products; however, these changes have not yet been finalized. The FSIS proposed rule closely matches revised nutrition label requirements in two FDA final rules published in 2016. FSIS published a Federal Register notice allowing the voluntary use of the FDA nutrition facts label format requirements prior to FSIS publishing a final nutrition labeling rule.

Meat and poultry establishments have two options:

1) Keep their existing nutrition facts panel based on 9 CFR 317.300-317.400 and 381.400-381.500 regulations. Nutrition facts labeling formats meeting the FSIS regulations may be added to labeling through generic approval, and the new FDA format requirements are not applicable to these products.

OR

2) Voluntarily update the nutrition panel to meet requirements in the two FDA final rules. This option requires sketch approval from FSIS for each FDA nutrition facts labeling format that is added to meat and poultry labels (e.g., full vertical format, tabular format for small packages, dual column format, etc.). To obtain sketch approval, establishments need to submit the label to FSIS for review. The sketch approval may be used as documentation to support the addition of the same FDA nutrition facts labeling format to other labeling that qualifies, with the actual nutrient values adjusted. These additional labels may be approved generically, meaning that once FSIS approves the first label, establishments don’t have to submit additional labels with the same format to FSIS again.

For more information about the FSIS proposed nutrition facts labeling changes and FDA changes please see the following link:

https://www.fsis.usda.gov/federal-register/rules/revision-nutrition-facts-labels-meat-and-poultry-products-and-updating

Information about the required changes to nutrition labeling for egg products will be published in a future Constituent Update.

Export Requirements Updates

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

• Canada
• Hong Kong
• Kazakhstan

Complete information can be found at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/inspection/import-export.

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 were recently issued:

FSIS Notice 21-19 - Actions To Take In Raw Poultry Establishments Exceeding Salmonella Performance Standards

Docket No. FSIS-2018-0041 - Guideline on Kit Labeling

Docket No. FSIS-2019-0018 - Notice of Request for Revision of an Approved Information Collection: Certificates of Medical Examination