FSIS Posts Updated Dataset on Import Refusals

On July 16, 2018, 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.   

Reminder: Small and Very Small Plant Outreach Survey

FSIS would like to thank those of you who already completed the Small and Very Small Plant Outreach survey. The survey was sent to small and very small livestock and poultry slaughter and/or processing establishments the week of June 25, 2018. If you have not yet completed the survey, we encourage you to do so.

This voluntary survey will provide FSIS with feedback to inform communication, outreach, and technical support. We will use the results to assess current outreach efforts related to food safety, humane handling, and food defense. Additionally, your feedback will help to improve future guidance, tools, and resources. The email or mail survey came from Yolanda Kennedy (Yolanda.Kennedy@usda.gov), Agency Survey Coordinator, in FSIS’ Office of the Chief Financial Officer in the Performance, Evaluation, and Planning Staff. FSIS also mailed a copy of the survey to those small and very small establishments for which we do not have email addresses. As a reminder, the survey should take about 10-15 minutes to complete and individual responses will be kept confidential. The survey will be open until Aug. 3, 2018.

Abstracts Requested for the Consumer Food Safety Education Conference, March 6-8, 2019

The Partnership for Food Safety Education (PFSE) is holding its Consumer Food Safety Education Conference on March 6-8, 2019, in Orlando, Florida. Submissions for presenting programs, research or creative outreach ideas are welcome from government agencies as well as from university faculty and students, non-profit organizations, and for-profit companies. The abstract should focus on a compelling topic and be 300 words or less. PFSE is accepting abstracts that fit five program tracks:

1. Program Tools – Refresh Your Outreach Toolbox

2. Know the Data: Modifying Approaches to Increase Consumer Engagement

3. Safe Food Handling in Today’s Food Landscape

4. Show It! Hands-on Demonstrations that Engage Consumers

5. Food Safety Education Success Stories (poster only track)

The deadline for submissions is Aug. 2, 2018. Please visit http://cfsec2019.fightbac.org for more information and to submit an abstract.

Reminder FSIS Webinar on Eliminating the Regulatory Requirements for Destroying Trichinella Spiralis in Pork Products

On May 31, 2018, FSIS published the final rule eliminating prescriptive regulatory requirements for destroying Trichinella spiralis in ready-to-eat (RTE) and not-ready-to-eat (NRTE) pork products. The final rule is available on the FSIS website at: https://www.fsis.usda.gov/federal-register/rules/elimination-trichinae-control-regulations-and-consolidation-thermally. FSIS also announced the availability of a compliance guide to help establishments, particularly small and very small establishments, in understanding the controls that are effective for the prevention and elimination of trichinae in RTE and NRTE pork. FSIS has posted the compliance guide on its website at: https://www.fsis.usda.gov/policy/fsis-guidelines.     

On July 17, FSIS will host a webinar from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. ET to provide an overview of the final rule and explain how establishments can address trichinae in their Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) systems.

To access the webinar, visit http://ems8.intellor.com/login/807000 and follow the on-screen instructions. Use the following information when logging on: meeting number: 1-877-369-5243 or 1-617-668-3633 and access code: 0323244. Please be sure to log on as a participant. The webinar will be recorded and posted on the FSIS website upon availability. For questions, contact Melissa Hammar at Melissa.hammar@usda.gov.

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 update was recently issued:

• Notice 36-18 - Verification Steps for China Exports

Export Requirements Updates

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

• Barbados
• Japan
• New Caledonia
• Republic of Korea
• Taiwan
• Western Samoa

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