Volume 5, Issue 30 

United States Department of Agriculture 

Food Safety and Inspection Service 

August 13, 2004

FSIS Constituent Update

Protecting Public Health Through Food Safety 

Remaining E. coli Workshops: 

Web Cast Available 

The final workshops on new directives designed to strengthen E. coli O157:H7 

prevention procedures will be held August 28 and September 11 from 9 a.m. 

to 2 p.m. They are designed for operators of small and very small federallyinspected plants, state-inspected plants, federal and state inspection personnel, 

members of academia and other interested parties. 

To reach even a greater number of participants, FSIS will web cast the 

workshop from Philadelphia on August 28. Individuals who are not able to 

travel to Philadelphia will have an opportunity to watch the meeting in progress 

and ask questions in real time through their computers. To connect to the web 

cast, participants will need a computer, speakers and access to the internet. 

Several people can participate from one location! 

There are 50 slots available for the web cast. Registration is required for the 

web cast and will be accepted through August 18, 2004. Priority will be given 

to small and very small federally-inspected plants, state-inspected plants, federal 

and state inspection personnel, as well as those hosting the web cast event for 

a large audience. Once registration is confirmed, a customer service 

representative will contact registrants. To register visit 

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/news_&_events/Registration_082804_Webcast/ 

To pre-register to attend the workshops, please call (866) 553-3052 or visit: 

www.fsis.usda.gov/News/Meetings_&_Events 

The remaining workshops are scheduled as follows: 

August 28: Crown Plaza Philadelphia, 1800 Market Street, Philadelphia, 

Pa. 19103, (215) 561-7500 

September 11: The Ambassador, 3100 I-40 West, Amarillo, Texas 79102, 

(806) 358-6161 

Export 

Requirement 

Updates 

The Library of Export 

Requirements has been 

updated to reflect changes 

in export requirements for 

the following countries: 

Armenia 

European Union 

France 

Complete information is 

currently available at: 

www.fsis.usda.gov/OFO/ 

export/explib.htm 

FSIS Constituent Update - August 13, 2004 1 Congressional & Public Affairs Office 
THIS 

WEEK’S 

HOT WEB

 LINKS 

FSIS Regulations and 

Policies 

regulations_&_policies/ 

Import_&_Export_Data/ 

Frequently Requested 

on Meat and Poultry Seeking 

Nominees 

Membership is drawn from a broad range of groups interested in food safety 

including producers, processors, exporters and importers of meat and poultry 

products, as well as those in academia, federal and state government officials 

Committee appointments are made by the Secretary of Agriculture. 

Names of nominees and their typed curricula vitae, or resume, should be 

must be postmarked no later than September 5, 2004. 

Codex Meeting on Processed 

comments on agenda items that will be discussed at the 22nd Session of the 

The agenda items to be discussed at the public meeting include: consideration 

le 

products; proposals for Amendments to the Priority List for Standardization 

The documents and complete agenda are also available at 

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/ 

Regulations_&_Policies/ 

Import and Export Data 

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/ 

FSIS Forms 

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/ 

Forms/ 

USDA announced this week that nominees are being sought for membership 

on the National Advisory Committee on Meat and Poultry Inspection 

(NACMPI). 

National Advisory Committee 

and consumers. All of these groups are encouraged to nominate candidates 

as it is important for the NACMPI to represent diverse constituencies. 

sent to Dr. Barbara J. Masters, Acting Administrator, Food Safety and 

Inspection Service, USDA, Room 405-Aerospace Building, 1400 

Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-3700. The application 

Public Meeting to Address 

Fruits and Vegetables 

A public meeting will be held to provide information and receive public 

Codex Committee on Processed Fruits and Vegetables (CCPFV) September 

27 - October 1, 2004, in Alexandria, Va. The public meeting will be will be 

held from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m Tuesday, August 31, 2004, in Room 3501, 

South Building, USDA, 1400 Independence Ave., SW., Washington, D.C. 

USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service and FSIS will co-sponsor.

of Codex Draft Revised Standards for various processed fruit and vegetab

of Processed Fruits and Vegetables; and Methods of Analysis and Sampling 

for Processed Fruits and Vegetables. 

http://www.codexalimentarius.net/web/current.jsp?lang=en 

 FSIS Constituent Update - August 13, 2004 2 Congressional & Public Affairs Office 
Featured 

Office of the 

Alimentarius Commission and 

its Codex 

Alimentarius is the major 

international mechanism for 

encouraging fair international 

trade in food while promoting 

the health and economic 

Codex_Alimentarius/ 

Committee Meetings 

Salmonella. 

Salmonella

products: broilers, market hogs, cows/bulls, steer/heifer, ground beef, ground 

safety system, FSIS collects and analyzes Salmonella samples to verify 

Salmonella

Despite minor yearly fluctuations in individual categories, Salmonella rates 

and analyzed by FSIS in CY 2003, 3.8 percent tested positive for 

Salmonella, as compared with 4.29 percent in CY 2002; 5.03 percent in CY 

2001; 5.31 percent in CY 2000; 7.26 percent in CY1999; and 10.65 percent 

Salmonella testing data visit: 

www.fsis.usda.gov/science/microbiology 

scientific basis for establishing safety-based “use by” date labels for refrigerated 

ready-to-eat foods and scientific criteria for redefining pasteurization. All 

The Scientific Criteria for Redefining Pasteurization subcommittee will meet 

(202) 690-6620. 

Week 

Codex Alimentarius 

The U.S. Codex Office, located 

in FSIS, USDA, is the U.S. 

Contact Point for the Codex 

activities. 

interest of consumers. 

For more information visit: http:/ 

/ w w w . f s i s . u s d a . g o v / 

R e g u l a t i o n s _ & _ P o l i c i e s / 

Upcoming National Advisory 

FSIS Announces 2003 

Salmonella Data on Web Site 

On Aug. 5, FSIS released regulatory sampling data showing a continued 

downward trend in positive tests for The HACCP rule established 

 performance standards in seven categories of meat and poultry 

chicken and ground turkey. As one part of an extensive science-based food 

compliance with HACCP requirements. The testing program was designed to 

track establishment performance, therefore it may not be reflective of the 

nationwide prevalence of in these products. 

in all classes of products have decreased to levels well below the HACCP 

baseline prevalence estimates. Of the random regulatory samples collected 

in CY 1998. For more information an 

The National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods 

(NACMCF) will hold public meetings Aug. 24-27. The full committee will 

discuss performance standards for ground chicken and ground turkey, the 

meetings are open to the public and will be held at the Hotel Monaco, 700 F 

Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 

The full committee will meet Friday, Aug. 27 from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Three 

NACMCF subcommittees will meet prior to the full committee meeting. The 

Performance Standards for Ground Chicken/Ground Turkey subcommittee 

will meet Aug. 24 from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Aug. 25 8:30 a.m. to noon. 

Aug. 25 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. The Scientific Basis for Establishing SafetyBased “Use By” Date Labeling for Refrigerated Ready-to-Eat Foods 

subcommittee will meet Aug. 26 from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. For further 

information contact Karen Thomas, Food Safety and Inspection Service, Office 

of Public Health Science, Microbiology Division, Aerospace Center, Room 

333, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington D.C. 20250-3700, phone 

FSIS Constituent Update - August 13, 2004 3 Congressional & Public Affairs Office