Volume 5, Issue 29 

United States Department of Agriculture 

Food Safety and Inspection Service

 August 6, 2004

FSIS Constituent Update 

Protecting Public Health Through Food Safety 

USDA and Michigan State 

University Join Forces To 

Promote Food Thermometer Use 

On August 2, USDA and the state of Michigan joined forces to promote food 

thermometer usage when preparing meat and poultry to prevent foodborne 

illness with the innovative “Is It DONE Yet?” campaign. FSIS is partnering 

with Michigan State University’s National Food Safety and Toxicology Center, 

the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition and its Extension 

service in an effort to increase consumers’ use of food thermometers. 

Under Secretary for Food Safety Dr. Elsa Murano kicked off the “Is It DONE 

Yet?” campaign last Monday at the Grand Rapids Van Andel Museum. The 

results of this educational initiative will help shape FSIS’ national approach to 

future consumer food safety promotions as well as thermometer usage. 

“‘Is It Done Yet?’ is a consumer-government partnership,” said Dr. Murano. 

“USDA is working aggressively to continue progress in preventing foodborne 

illness and protecting public health. Consumer awareness of basic food safety 

principles - especially using a food thermometer for checking meat, poultry 

and seafood as it cooks - can reduce the number of foodborne illnesses 

significantly.” 

The use of a food thermometer is essential to ensure that meat and poultry 

have been cooked sufficiently to eliminate harmful pathogens. FSIS reports 

that, in the case of hamburgers, even if they are brown in the middle, one in 

four burgers is still not safely “done yet.”

 “ Using a food thermometer is like implementing a sound scientific procedure 

in the kitchen. It takes the guesswork out of whether meat, poultry or seafood 

is done, and it is one critical way to combat foodborne illness due to Salmonella, 

E. coli O157:H7 and other harmful bacteria,” said Dr. Murano. 

For more information on food safety guidelines for the use of food 

thermometers, visit: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Food_Safety_Education/ 

Export 

Requirement 

Updates 

The Library of Export 

Requirements has been 

updated to reflect changes 

in export requirements for 

the following countries: 

Cayman Islands 

Costa Rica 

Russia 

Complete information is 

currently available at: 

www.fsis.usda.gov/OFO/ 

export/explib.htm 

FSIS Constituent Update - August 6, 2004 1 Congressional & Public Affairs Office 
THIS 

WEEK’S 

HOT WEB

 LINKS 

Program and 

Employee 

Development 

www.fsis.usda.gov/ 

About_FSIS/OPPED/ 

FSIS Recalls 

www.fsis.usda.gov/ 

FSIS_Recalls/ 

USDA Meat and 

Poultry Hotline 

www.fsis.usda.gov/ 

Food_Safety_Education/ 

usda_meat_&_poultry_hotline 

to Promote Food Safety 

Safety Institute of the Americas, a cooperative educational and research 

organization designed to promote food safety and identify and develop 

government and industry in all countries to improve the safety of imported 

Hemisphere since being named to her post in the fall of 2001. Through 

speeches and personal contacts, she has worked to convince governments 

to raise the level of food safety and to become active participants in 

international food standard setting bodies like the Codex Alimentarius 

Commission. 

Murano said that many organizations—academic, governmental and 

production will be grouped into “colleges and departments” within the FSIA 

existing networks of universities and organizations within North America, 

Central America, South America and the Caribbean. 

www.fsis.usda.gov/News_&_Events/ 

Office of Policy, 

FSIS Establishes New Institute 

On August 3, Dr. Elsa Murano announced the establishment of the Food 

educational programs throughout the Americas. 

“Secretary Veneman challenged us to think broadly when it comes to 

improved food safety standards,” Murano said. “This institute will become 

a forum for scientific discussion and educational opportunities for 

and exported meat, poultry and egg products.” 

Murano has worked hard to improve food safety programs in the Western 

nongovernmental—will be active partners in the FSIA. Food safety subject 

matter areas like public health, food security, Codex and animal and food 

and entrusted to centers of academic expertise. The FSIA will also tap into 

The Food Safety Institute of the Americas will be located in Miami, Florida, 

which is recognized as the gateway to the Americas. This location will 

enhance the institute’s ability to bring together experts quickly and to develop 

and carry out programs efficiently. 

To learn more visit: 

 FSIS Constituent Update - August 6, 2004 2 Congressional & Public Affairs Office 
Featured 

Office of the 

www .fsis.usda.gov/ 

About_FSIS/OPHS/ 

E. coli O157:H7 

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 

plants, state-inspected plants, federal and state inspection personnel, members of 

follows: 

August 28: Crown Plaza Philadelphia, 1800 Market Street, Philadelphia, Pa. 19103, 

(215) 561-7500 

September 11: 79102, 

(806) 358-6161 

renee.ellis@fsis.usda.gov. 

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

E. coli www.fsis.usda.gov/Science/ 

Workshop_SmallPlants_ecoli/. 

Field Services 

Laboratory 

Scientific testing aids in the 

detection and prevention of 

support FSIS’ farm-to-table 

food safety strategies, three field 

laboratories conduct scientific 

tests in the disciplines of 

Salmonella 

trend in positive tests for Salmonella. 

l Salmonella

standards in seven categories of meat and poultry products: broilers, market hog, 

part of an extensive science-based food safety system, FSIS collects and analyzes 

Salmonella

not 

Salmonella

Despite minor yearly fluctuations in individual categories, Salmonella rates in all classes 

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; 

Salmonella testing data visit: 

www.fsis.usda.gov/science/microbiology 

Week 

Two Remaining

Workshops 

p.m. They are designed for operators of small and very small federally-inspected 

academia and other interested parties. The remaining workshops are scheduled as 

The Ambassador, 3100 I-40 West, Amarillo, Texas 

To pre-register for workshops please call (202) 690-6520 or e-mail 

You may also register for workshops by calling (866) 

553-3052 or via FSIS’ Web site: 

 workshop materials are now available at 

foodborne illness outbreaks. To 

chemistry, microbiology and 

pathology. 

To learn more visit: 

FSIS Announces 2003 

Data on Web Site 

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

The HACCP rule, implemented Ju y 25, 1996, established performance 

cows/bulls; steer/heifer; ground beef; ground chicken and ground turkey. As one 

 samples to verify compliance with HACCP requirements. The testing 

program was designed to track establishment performance, therefore it might 

be reflective of the nationwide prevalence of in these products. 

of products have decreased to levels well below the HACCP baseline prevalence 

estimates. Of the random regulatory samples collected and analyzed by FSIS in CY 

and 10.65 percent in CY 1998. For more information and 

FSIS Constituent Update - August 6, 2004 3 Congressional & Public Affairs Office 
The USDA Food 

Safety Mobile: 

Safety Education 

on the Road 

The USDA Food Safety Mobile 

is a 35-foot, recreational-style 

vehicle covered with a bold, 

eye-catching design and 

prominent food safety 

messages, including the four 

Fight BAC!® messages of the 

Partnership for Food Safety 

Education. 

Aug 7, 2004 

Mich.) 

Aug 8, 2004 

Kroger Grocery Store (Ann 

Aug 9, 2004 

For more dates visit: 

www .fsis.usda.gov/ 

Food_Safety_Education/ 

Mobile_Events_by_Date/ 

Nominees Sought for 

Membership on National 

Advisory Committee 

crystal.straughn@fsis.usda.gov (202) 720-9113 

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. 

Used in the Production of Meat 

FSIS issued a change to Attachment 1 for FSIS Directive 7120.1. Attachment 

1 identifies the substances that have been approved in 21 CFR for use in 

meat and poultry products as food additives, approved in GRAS notices and 

pre-market notifications, and approved in letters conveying acceptability 

issuance of the directive are in bold. The directive can be found at http:// 

Processed_Products/ 

Taking Food 

Dixboro Fair & Artisans on the 

Green Celebration (Ann Arbor, 

Arbor, Mich.) 

Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum 

(Ann Arbor, Mich.) 

On August 5, USDA announced that nominees are being sought for 

membership on the National Advisory Committee on Meat and Poultry 

Inspection (NACMPI). 

To Contact the Constituent Update Editor 

Crystal Straughn 

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 Ser vice, USDA, Room 405-Aerospace Building, 1400 

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

Safe and Suitable Ingredients 

and Poultry Products 

determinations. Substances added to the attachment since the 11/3/2003 

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 / 7 0 0 0 _ S e r i e s -

 FSIS Constituent Update - August 6, 2004 4 Congressional & Public Affairs Office