Constituent Update - July 8, 2022

FSIS to Include Salmonella Quantification in Raw Poultry Rinse Samples

This week, FSIS awarded a contract to bioMérieux to incorporate its non-enrichment quantification system for Salmonella, ‘GENE-UP™ QUANT Salmonella,’ into the agency’s laboratory system. The agency evaluated commercially available quantification systems and determined that this technology is the most appropriate for use in the high throughput FSIS laboratory environment. A future Constituent Update will announce when the method is available and when it will be implemented in all three FSIS food testing laboratories.

Salmonella quantification is a significant step in FSIS’ efforts to reduce Salmonella illnesses associated with poultry and to modernize the diagnostic capabilities of the FSIS food testing laboratories. Using this new system, FSIS will be able to measure the amount of Salmonella present in a regulatory sample, not solely its presence or absence.

FSIS plans to extend pathogen quantification technology to sample types other than raw poultry rinses in the future. FSIS will continue to use Microbiology Laboratory Guidebook chapter 4.11 to isolate and identify Salmonella in raw poultry rinses.

FSIS to Participate in NARMS Public Meeting

Registration for the 2022 National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System (NARMS) public meeting is now open. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is hosting the NARMS public meeting September 21-22, 2022. The purpose of this meeting is to share NARMS progress since the adoption of the NARMS Strategic Plan: 2021-2025. Accomplishments since the last NARMS public meeting in 2020 and future plans will be highlighted. As a NARMS partner, FSIS will make presentations regarding agency findings.

The public meeting will be held virtually on Wednesday, September 21, 2022, from noon-5 p.m. ET and Thursday, September 22, from 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. ET. In addition, there will be a demonstration of how to access NARMS data online on Tuesday, September 20, from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. ET. Separate registration is required for each session.

To register for the NARMS technical workshop and/or for the public meeting, fill in the information requested on the following websites:

If you wish to participate in the public comment session on Thursday, September 22 from 3:40-4:15 p.m., please email Claudine Kabera (claudine.kabera@fda.hhs.gov) by Wednesday, September 14, 2022, and include which topic(s) you wish to address.

A transcript of the meeting will be made available within 30 days after the meeting. For additional information, visit FDA’s public meeting webpage.

Reminder: Upcoming NACMCF Subcommittee Meeting

The National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods (NACMCF) Subcommittee on Enhancing Salmonella Control in Poultry Products will convene a virtual subcommittee meeting on July 12, 2022, from 2-5 p.m. ET.

To attend the virtual meeting, please contact the NACMCF Secretariat at NACMCF@usda.gov or John Jarosh, NACMCF Designated Federal Officer, by email at john.jarosh@usda.gov.

The purpose of NACMCF is to provide impartial, scientific advice and peer reviews to federal food safety agencies for use in the development of an integrated national food safety systems approach that assures the safety of domestic, imported, and exported foods.

Policy Update

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

FSIS Notice 37-22 - Voluntary Use and Ordering of COVID-19 Self-Test Kits

FSIS Notice 38-22 - Continuous Development Initiative for All FSIS Employees

Export Requirements Update

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

Guatemala
Nicaragua
Jordan
Honduras
New Zealand
Japan
Myanmar
Kiribati
Solomon Islands
Costa Rica
El Salvador
Canada
New Caledonia
Vietnam
Ecuador
Curacao
Mexico

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

Last Updated: Jul 08, 2022

Food Safety and Inspection Service