. /.  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION   
G/SPS/N/USA/2280/Add.2 
28 February 2012  
 (12-1129) 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Original:   English 
  
 
NOTIFICATION 
 
Addendum 
  
The following communication, received on 27 Fe bruary 2012, is being circulated at the 
request of the Delegation of the United States. 
 
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Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli in Certain Raw Beef Products 
Action:  New schedule for implementation of  routine testing and verification activities 
 The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS)  is announcing a new date for when it will 
implement routine verification sampling and testi ng for raw beef manufacturing trimmings for six 
non-O157 Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) serogroups (O26, O45, O103, O111, O121, 
and O145).  This new date will pr ovide additional time for establishments and laboratories to validate 
their test methods.  FSIS announced in September 2 011 plans to test certain raw beef products for 
these six STEC serogroups in addition to O157:H7. FSIS has determined that these organisms are adulterants of raw ground beef products and product components unde r the Federal Meat Inspection 
Act (FMIA).  Beginning 4 June 2012, FSIS will  implement routine verification of raw beef 
manufacturing trimmings (domestic  or imported) derived from ca ttle slaughtered on or after 
4 June 2012.  To facilitate compliance with the pol icy, and to allow industry time to implement any 
necessary changes in their food safety systems, FSIS will generally not regard raw, non-intact beef 
products or the components of these products found  to have these pathogens as adulterated until 
4 June 2012. 
This addendum concerns a: 
[ ] Modification of final date for comments 
[ ] Notification of adoption, publication or entry into force of regulation 
[ ] Modification of content and/or scope of previously notified draft regulation 
[ ] Withdrawal of proposed regulation 
[X] Change in proposed date of adoption, publication or date of entry into force 
[ ] Other:    
Comment period:  (If the addendum extends the scope of th e previously notified measure in terms 
of products and/or potentially affected Members, a new deadline for receipt of comments should be 
provided, normally of at least 60 calendar days.  Under other circumstances, such as extension of 
originally announced final date for comments, th e comment period provided in the addendum may 
vary.)  G/SPS/N/USA/2280/Add.2 
Page 2  
 
  [] Sixty days from the date of circulation of the addendum to the notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) :  
Agency or authority designated to handle comments:  [ ] National Notification Authority, 
[ ] National Enquiry Point.  Address, fax num ber and e-mail address (if available) of other 
body: 
   
Text available from:  [X] National Notification Au thority, [ ] National Enquiry Point.  Address, 
fax number and e-mail address (if available) of other body: 
"http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Frame/FrameRedirect.a sp?main=http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OPPDE/rdad/F
RPubs/2010-0023N.htm " 
For further information contact:  Daniel Engeljohn,  Ph.D., Assistant Administrator, Office of Policy 
and Program Development, Food Safety and Inspec tion Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 
(202) 205-0495 
 
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