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Constituent Update
Friday, November 17 2023

Constituent Update - November 17, 2023

Note: FSIS will be publishing the next Constituent Update on Friday, December 1, 2023, due to the Thanksgiving holiday.

IFSAC Releases Annual Report for 2021 on Sources of Foodborne Illness

The Interagency Food Safety Analytics Collaboration’s (IFSAC) newest annual report, “Foodborne illness source attribution estimates for Salmonella, Escherichia coli O157, and Listeria monocytogenes – United States, 2021,” is now available.

IFSAC is a collaboration between FSIS, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The group was established in 2011 to improve coordination of federal food safety analytic efforts and address cross-cutting priorities for food safety data collection, analysis, and use.

IFSAC analyzes foodborne illness outbreak data for priority pathogens and specific foods and food categories responsible for foodborne illnesses in the United States. The data are analyzed by calendar year and released in annual reports as part of ongoing efforts to understand sources of foodborne illness in the United States. The CDC estimates that, together, these priority pathogens — Salmonella, Escherichia coli O157, Campylobacter, and Listeria monocytogenes — cause nearly 2 million cases of foodborne illnesses in the U.S. each year.

Attribution estimates for Campylobacter are not presented in this year’s report. Evidence suggests the sources of Campylobacter outbreaks likely differ considerably from those of non-outbreak-associated illnesses caused by this pathogen. IFSAC is exploring alternative approaches for estimating the sources of Campylobacter illnesses.

The updated estimates, combined with other data, may help shape agencies’ priorities and inform the creation of targeted interventions that may help reduce foodborne illnesses caused by these pathogens. These estimates also inform stakeholders and improve our ability to assess whether prevention measures are working.

For more information, visit IFSAC projects or email IFSAC@fda.hhs.gov.

Keep Risky Habits Out of the Kitchen this Thanksgiving

America’s biggest food holiday is almost here, and the USDA wants to remind consumers to avoid habits that increase the risk of harmful bacteria in their Thanksgiving meal.

Unsafe handling and undercooking your turkey can cause foodborne illness. To ensure your Thanksgiving meal is wholesome and memorable without illness, follow the four steps to food safety: clean, separate, cook and chill, and avoid risky food handling habits that go against USDA guidelines. Here are seven dangerous habits USDA recommends that consumers avoid.

For more food safety information, call the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854), email MPHotline@usda.gov or chat live at ask.usda.gov from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday. On Thanksgiving Day, the hotline will be open from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Eastern Time.

FSIS to Post Individual Category Status and Aggregate Results for Poultry Carcasses, Chicken Parts, and Comminuted Poultry Tested for Salmonella

On November 20, 2023, FSIS will update the individual establishment Salmonella performance standard category information for raw poultry carcasses, raw chicken parts, and comminuted poultry products on the Salmonella Verification Testing Program Monthly Posting webpage on the FSIS website. Additionally, FSIS will post the aggregate sampling results showing the number of establishments in categories 1, 2, or 3 for establishments producing young poultry carcasses, raw chicken parts, or not ready-to-eat (NRTE) comminuted poultry products at the location linked above.

Available for Public Comment

FSIS seeks public comments on proposed rules and notices, which are viewable on the FSIS Federal Register & Rulemaking webpage. FSIS is currently seeking comments on the following:

Policy Update

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

FSIS Notice 63-23 - Fiscal Year 2024 - Continuing Education Program for Public Health Veterinarians and Veterinary Medical Officers

Export Requirements Update

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

  • Tunisia
  • Ukraine
  • Japan
  • Singapore
  • Korea
  • French Polynesia (Tahiti)
  • Azerbaijan
  • Canada
  • Mexico
  • Taiwan
  • Turkey
  • Dominican Republic
  • Cuba
  • Jamaica
  • China
  • Chile
  • United Arab Emirates
  • Panama
  • South Africa
  • European Union

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

Last Updated: Nov 17, 2023