INSIGHTS AND ACTIONS

THIS ISSUE

  • CHILTON PROVIDES NMA MEMBERS WITH GFSI STANDARDS UPDATE
  • FSIS RELEASES HACCP VERIFICATION CAMPYBACTER RESULTS
  • ESTES REYNOLDS TO INSTRUCT BASIC HACCP COURSE
  • AGENCY ISSUES 90 DAY EXTENSION FOR STEC TESTING IMPLEMENTATION
  • UPDATED LIST OF PEPRLabs AVAILABLE
  • CHILTON AT NC&SC MEAT PROCESSORS ANNUAL MEETING
  • FDA RECRUITS CHIEF SCIENCE OFFICER AND RESEARCH DIRECTOR SALMONELLA SEROTYPE INCIDENCE COMPARISON
  • FSIS REISSUES NOTICE FOR VERIFYING PROCESSING STEPS IN RTE PRODUCTS

 

CHILTON PROVIDES NMA MEMBERS WITH GFSI STANDARDS UPDATE

During the General Session at the National Meat Association 66th Annual Convention in Tucson, AZ, CCG President, Jeff Chilton, provided valuable insight into code changes in SQF and BRC GFSI schemes. Specifically, Chilton outlined the forthcoming July 1, 2012 SQF version 7 standard changes and advised companies to verify that current programs or newly implemented ones address the code changes. Similarly, current BRC standard, implemented January 2012, have undergone moderate changes that plants must also address. For a copy of Chilton’s address or information on the new SQF or BRC standards please email tfrey@chiltonconsulting.com

FSIS RELEASES HACCP Verification Campylobacter Results

On February 10, 2012, FSIS posted results from its newly implemented Campylobacter performance standards and new lower Salmonella performance standards for whole carcasses of young chickens (broilers) and young turkeys.  The six month Salmonella testing results, run from July through December 2011, show the young chicken industry meeting the government compliance percent positive rate published in the new standard at 9.43 percent (10.4 percent compliance standard). The young turkey industry percent positive rate equals 4.22 percent, above the 0.79 percent government compliance standard. FSIS Campylobacter testing results showed 10.4 percent for young chickens (or ≤ 8 positive samples out of a 51 sample set) and .79 percent for young turkeys (or ≤ 3 positive samples out of a 56 sample set).

The agency also compared the pass failure rate for both Salmonella and Campylobacter for the same sample set. The results from the limited data show that the majority of Campylobacter set failures occurred in sets that passed the Salmonella performance standard. FSIS will continue to investigate this occurrence.

ESTES REYNOLDS TO INSTRUCT BASIC HACCP COURSE

Dr. Estes Reynolds, America's professor, Department of food science and technology, College of agricultural and environmental sciences, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA., will conduct a two-day Basic HACCP Course on March 6-7, Bolingbrook, IL.  As a fully accredited HACCP instructor and auditor, Dr. Estes Reynolds has worked as an extension outreach program specialist for over 25 years, conducting workshops and on-site training programs for food processors, consumers and government officials. Dr. Reynolds is presently outreach coordinator for the Department of food science and technology and the food process research and development laboratory. For more information regarding this course please visit http://www.chiltonconsulting.com/event/developing-and-implementing-haccp-programs-basic-course-0

AGENCY ISSUES 90 DAY EXTENSION FOR STEC TESTING IMPLEMENTATION

FSIS will extend for 90 days the implementation date for routine sampling of six additional STEC serogroups (O26, O45, O103, O111, O121 and O145.) The extension provides industry with additional time to validate testing methods for detecting these pathogens prior to product shipment. The current announcement states that FSIS will begin sampling both domestic and imported raw beef trimmings for the STEC serogroups on June 4, and, as announced on September 13, 2011, the agency will prohibit product testing positive for the STEC serogroups from entering commerce. FSIS will post an advance copy of an updated Federal Register on the FSIS website as soon as it becomes available.

UPDATED LIST OF PEPRLabs AVAILABLE

An updated list of Pasteurized Egg Product Recognized Laboratory Program.

PEPRLab program procedures and the member laboratories performing Salmonella analysis on official surveillance samples of pasteurized egg products is now available through the FSIS website.  The list is available at www.fsis.usda.gov/Science/PEPRLab_program/index.asp.

CHILTON AT NC&SC MEAT PROCESSORS ANNUAL MEETING

Jeff Chilton, President, Chilton Consulting Group, Inc. will be available during the North Carolina & South Carolina Meat Processors Annual Meeting, “Food Safety from All Perspectives” March 2-4, 2012, SAND DUNES RESORT & SPA, Myrtle Beach, SC. This is a perfect time for processors with questions regarding GFSI implementation including SQF, BRC and FSSC 22000 to gain instruction on important processing programs and how they may affect businesses.

FDA RECRUITS CHIEF SCIENCE OFFICER AND RESEARCH DIRECTOR

FDA has announced in its weekly FSMA blog, by Mr. Michael Taylor, Deputy Commissioner for Foods,  FDA, that it is recruiting a Chief Science Officer and Research Director to provide strategic direction and leadership for FDA research and methods development activities. This individual will work with FDA scientists and policy experts to ensure the availability of resources such as expertise and funding for the most critical public health needs.  Mr. Taylor states that “By working closely with our research partners in other government agencies, academia and industry, we can leverage each other’s work and avoid duplication.”  Additionally, the Chief Science Officer and Research Director will also work to ensure that FDA identifies scientific disciplines in order to target investments towards scientific disciplines and specialties  critical to meeting the agency’s mission.

FSIS REISSUES NOTICE FOR VERIFYING PROCESSING STEPS IN RTE PRODUCTS

On February 1, 2012, FSIS issued Notice 08-12, Instructions for Verifying All Steps in the Processing of Ready-to-Eat Meat and Poultry Products. This Notice is a reissuance of the content of FSIS Notice 01-11 and provides Inspection Program Personnel with instructions for verifying that plant HACCP plans 1) adequately address all hazards inherent to the production of RTE products; 2) includes all steps in their hazard analysis; and 3) considered potential hazards from ingredients added to the product post lethality treatment. The reissuance is in response to several meat and poultry recalls associated with the addition of ingredients, spices, or sauce after the lethality process step.

The Notice instructs IPPs to not assume that non-meat ingredients are treated to address pathogens of concern and  to be aware of possible post-lethality processing environment recontamination through contact with insanitary surfaces, improper handling by establishment employees, the addition of raw materials or ingredients after the lethality step, and contact with insect or animal vectors. Additionally, IPPs are to verify that plants have evaluated supplier interventions, checked purchasing specifications and performed any in-plant testing verification identified by the establishment as necessary.  A fill copy of the notice may be obtained at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OPPDE/rdad/FSISNotices/08-12.pdf

SALMONELLA SEROTYPE INCIDENCE COMPARISON

 A recent FSIS sponsored paper supports the Agency’s position that the control of salmonella in chicken products is an important step for reducing the incidence of human Salmonella infections in the United States. The paper, developed in response to public comment declaring an absence of evidence correlating young chicken carcass salmonella serotypes and human Salmonella infections in the United States, compared CDC outbreaks from chicken products, CDC serotype-specific salmonellosis rates, and FSIS Salmonella serotype incidences in young chickens. FSIS reports it will continue to provide opportunities for discussion on this issue. A full copy of the paper is available at (www.fsis.usda.gov/PDF/Serotype_Incidence_and_Salmonellosis.pdf