Comment Period for the Proposed Rule to Amend Egg Products Inspection Regulations Ends on June 13

On Jan. 9, 2018, FSIS announced a critical step forward in making egg products safer for Americans to eat. FSIS is proposing to modernize egg products inspection by bringing egg product plants under Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) regulations. Meat and poultry plants have been operating under HACCP since the publication of the PR/HACCP rule in 1997. Under HACCP, egg products plants will be required to develop HACCP systems and Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures (Sanitation SOPs) and to meet other sanitation requirements consistent with the meat and poultry regulations. FSIS is proposing that official plants will be required to produce egg products in such a way that the finished product is free of detectable pathogens. The regulatory amendment also uses the Agency’s resources more efficiently and removes unnecessary regulatory obstacles to innovation.

Also, the proposed rule would move the jurisdiction of egg substitutes to FSIS. Egg substitutes would follow the same requirements as proposed for eggs products since they are similar, if not identical, to currently amenable egg products and subject to the same food safety risks during processing. The comment period ends on June 13, 2018. To view the proposed rule, please visit: https://www.fsis.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media_file/2020-07/2005-0015.pdf.   

To read the complete story published in the Constituent Update on Jan. 12, 2018, please visit: https://www.fsis.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media_file/2021-04/ConstiUpdate011218.pdf.    

Reminder: FSIS Webinar on Individual Salmonella Category Status for Poultry Parts and Comminuted Poultry

On June 13, FSIS will host a webinar from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. ET about the posting of individual Salmonella category status data for poultry establishments that produce poultry parts and not ready-to-eat (NRTE) comminuted poultry. The webinar will provide an overview of FSIS’ sampling practices and explain the category determination process, expectation for establishments in Category 3, and assignment of follow-up samples and Public Health Risk Evaluations (PHRE).

To access the webinar, visit http://ems7.intellor.com/login/805948 and follow the on-screen instructions. Use the following information when logging on: Meeting Number: 1-877-369-5243 or 1-617-668-3633, Access Code: 0615252. Please be sure to log on as a participant. The webinar will be recorded and posted on the website upon availability. For questions, contact Jeremy “Todd” Reed at jeremy.reed@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 30-18 - Update on Partially Hydrogenated Oils in Meat, Poultry and Egg Products

Export Requirements Updates

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

• Barbados
• New Caledonia
• South Africa
• Taiwan
• Turkey
• Western Samoa

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