FSIS Constituent Update - April 30, 2004 1 Congressional & Public Affairs Office

Export

Requirement

Updates

The Library of Export

Requirements has been

updated to reflect changes

in export requirements for

the following:

Canada

Indonesia

Mexico

Nicaragua

Thailand

Complete information can

be found at:

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

OFO/export/explib.htm

Volume 5, Issue 18

United States Department of Agriculture

Food Safety and Inspection Service

April 30, 2004

Protecting the Public Health by Significantly Reducing Foodborne Hazards from Meat, Poultry and Egg Products

FSIS Constituent Update

Statement from Dr. Elsa Murano,

USDA Under Secretary for Food

Safety Regarding CDC

Foodborne Illness Data

Reductions in foodborne illnesses announced today by the Centers for Disease

Control and Prevention (CDC) show that USDA’s science-based policies to

combat deadly bacteria in meat, poultry and egg products are effective.

“The CDC, in its annual report on the incidence of infections from foodborne

pathogens, noted significant declines from 1996 to 2003 in illnesses caused

by E. coli O157:H7 (42%), Salmonella (17%), Campylobacter (28%) and Yersinia

(49%). Illnesses caused by Salmonella Typhimurium (typically associated with

meat and poultry) decreased by 38%. Most significantly, between 2002 and

2003, illnesses caused by E. coli O157:H7, typically associated with ground

beef, dropped by 36%. The reduction in E. coli O157:H7 illnesses brings the

U.S. very close to achieving the ‘Healthy People 2010’ goal of 1.0 case per

100,000 people.

“The report adds to the body of evidence indicating real progress is being

made toward our goals of preventing illness and protecting public health.In

addition to testing results, recalls for Salmonella, E. coli O157:H7 and Listeria

in FSIS regulated products also dropped from 65 in 2002 to 28 in 2003.”

In the past 18 months, FSIS has implemented a series of policies and directives

to control E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella and Listeria. You may view a list of

these policies and directives at: http://www.usda.gov/Newsroom/

0176.04.html
FSIS Constituent Update -April 30, 2004 2 Congressional & Public Affairs Office

THIS

WEEK’S

HOT WEB

 LINKS

Requirements for

State Programs

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

regulations_&_policies/

Requirements_for_State_Programs/

index.asp

Risk Assessments

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

Science/

Risk_Assessments/

index.asp

Freedom of

Information Act

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

FOIA/index.asp

Reminder: NACMCF

Subcommittees to Meet

The Subcommittee on Scientific Criteria for Redefining Pasteurization of

the National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods

(NACMCF) will hold a public meeting on May 11, 2004. In addition, the

NACMCF Subcommittee on Criteria for Refrigerated Shelf-life Based on

Safety will hold public meetings May 11-14, 2004. Both subcommittees will

meet at the Aerospace Building, 901 D St., SW, Room 369, Washington, D.C.

If you would like to attend any of these meetings or need more information,

contact Karen Thomas, advisory committee specialist, at (202) 690-6620. Due

to increased security measures at the Aerospace Building, all persons

wishing to attend must RSVP.

On Monday, April 26, 2004, a jury heard opening statements in the San

Leandro Sausage Factory murder trial. Stewart Alexander, owner of the

Santos Linguisa meat processing plant in San Leandro, California, is accused

of murder in the deaths of FSIS Compliance Officers Tom Quadros and

Jean Hillery and California Investigator Bill Shaline at his Santos Linguisa

Factory in San Leandro.

The defense strategy is to paint the federal compliance officers and state

investigator as being responsible for driving the defendant into a murderous

rage. FSIS finds that position outrageous and without a shred of credibility

or believability. A USDA spokesman present at the trial stated “to victimize

these dedicated public health servants, who were murdered in the line of

duty serving the American people, is the most vile and vicious form of

slander. FSIS stands behind the name and reputations of our murdered

colleagues and with the victims’ families during this painful ordeal.”

FSIS Stands Behind the

Victims of the San Leandro

Sausage Factory Shooting
FSIS Constituent Update - April 30, 2004 3 Congressional & Public Affairs Office

To Contact the Constituent Update Editor

Crystal Straughn crystal.straughn@fsis.usda.gov 202-720-9113

FSIS announced this week that the deadline for all applicable businesses

to register with the agency has been extended to May 24, 2004.

Unless a business operates under federal inspection, it is required by law to

register with the USDA if it deals in meat or poultry products in, or for,

commerce. Since 1970, FSIS has required businesses affected by the Poultry

Products Inspection Act and the Federal Meat Inspection Act to maintain

business records and to make such records available to FSIS employees

upon request. Registration information and business records are critical in

any FSIS investigation related to public health, food safety or misbranding

of meat or poultry products.

The new registration form asks registrants to provide certain information

that was not previously requested, including an e-mail address, phone

number and subsidiaries’ hours of operation. All businesses, including those

that are currently registered, must complete the new form and submit it to

FSIS. The new registration form is currently available and can be accessed

at:http://www.fsis.usda.g ov/Regulations_&_Policies/

2004_Notices_Index/index.asp.

FSIS Extends Registration

Deadline

Featured

Office of the

Week

The Office of Food

Security and Emergency

Preparedness (OFSEP)

manages all homeland

security activities within

FSIS. OFSEP makes sure

that policy makers,

scientists, field staff and

management are prepared

to prevent and respond to

any food security threat.

For more information

please visit: http://

www.fsis.usda.g ov/

About_FSIS/OFSEP/

index.asp

The Office of Food

Security and

Emergency

Preparedness

How to Use FSIS’ “Ask Karen”

Karen is a virtual representative on FSIS’ newly designed Web site who is

equipped to answer your questions about the safe storage, preparation and

handling of meat and poultry products. Karen can also answer questions

about the prevention of foodborne illness and disease. Type your question

in the text box and select “Ask”. The answer to your question will appear

below the dotted line at the bottom of the page. If Karen is unable to

answer your exact question she can suggest a list of related questions to

help you meet your food safety needs. Karen can also provide links to

other Web pages with additional information. For the best results, keep

your questions brief. Ask multiple concise questions in place of one longer

one.

For more information or to ask “Karen” a question please visit: http://

www.fsis.usda.g ov/Food_Safety_Education/Ask_K ar en/

index.asp#Question