------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 6697 Update On FSI Meat & Poultry Insp. & E. Coli Investigation Permission is granted to create and distribute copies of this document for non-commercial purposes provided that the author and MES receive acknowledgement and this notice is included. Minnesota Extension Service, University of Minnesota, 405 Coffey Hall, St. Paul, MN 55108. (612) 625-2787 * pmailop@mes.umn.edu ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ UPDATE ON FSIS MEAT AND POULTRY INSPECTION AND E. coli INVESTIGATION The following was received via electronic mail and edited by William Schafer, Extension Food Technologist. It is presented as a update on the current issues of meat inspection/ E. coli outbreaks: Secretary Espy held a press conference this morning (5/27/93) on meatand poultry inspection and the status of the E. coli investigation. The press release distributed today and related fact sheets are attached to this mailing. Secretary Espy briefly reported that current systems do not allow traceback of the contamination to a single specific source. However, 9 positive sources have been traced and are being closely monitored. In addition, the results of special reviews of 90 plants ordered by Secretary Espy are outlined in one of the attached factsheets. Twelve plants have been placed under the FSIS Progressive Enforcement Action program. A 5-step plan for upgrading meat and poultry inspection was also announced. The Secretary announced that HACCP will now be mandated for all federally inspected meat and poultry plants; a plan for implementation is due to Espy in 90 days. Within 60 days, criteria for rapid tests are to be published in the Federal Register. A public health advisor will be placed on the FSIS team and an FSIS staff member will be placed at CDC to assure appropriate integration of concerns. Regional hearings on the FSIS Strategic Plan for maximizing inspection methods are ongoing and will be completed by June 19. Finally, considering advice rom the hearings, legislative proposals, including identification methods for traceback of animals, are due to Espy within 30 days. If you have any interesting events or programs occur as a result of these announcements, we would appreciate you sharing them with us. Thank you. -------------------------- E. COLI UPDATE --------------------- United States Department of Agriculture Food Safety Inspection Service FSIS Information Office (202) 720-9113 Media Relations Office (202) 720-0314 FSIS BACKGROUNDER ESCHERICHIA COLI UPDATE: E. COLI 0157:H7 MAY 1993 What are E. coli? Escherichia coli are a group of bacteria normally found in the intestines of warm-blooded animals such as food animals or humans and in water contaminated by animal or human feces. E. coli are most often associated with intestinal illness or diarrhea in infants and in travelers who have consumed impure water or unpasteurized milk. Characteristics of E. coli 0157:H7 In 1982, a virulent strain, E. coli 0157:H7, was identified by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) as the cause of two outbreaks of human gastrointestinal illness. Since that time it has been identified by CDC as the cause of additional outbreaks. - E. coli 0157:H7 can colonize in the intestinal tracts of animals, providing an opportunity for contamination of muscle meat at slaughter. - E. coli 0157:H7 is a pathogen that can survive both refrigeration and freezer storage. If present, the bacterium can multiply very slowly at 44 degrees Fahrenheit. - The majority of foodborne outbreaks recorded since 1982 have either implicated or associated undercooked ground beef as the primary source of infection. Thorough cooking destroys E. coli 0157:H7. - Unpasteurized milk, contaminated water supplies, low-acid apple cider and mayonnaise have also been implicated as vehicles for E. coli 0157:H7. - Low numbers of E. coli 0157:H7 can produce infections in infants and the elderly or immunocompromised. However, the infectious dose for humans has not been determined. The Illness A toxin produced by E. coli 0157:H7 can form in the intestinal tract to cause acute hemorrhagic colitis in humans. - Symptoms of the illness include severe abdominal cramps, followed by watery diarrhea that often becomes bloody. Vomiting and nausea are occasionally accompanied by a low-grade fever. Inflammation can occur when the bacterium attaches to the colon wall. Hemorrhagic colitis can last from 4 to 10 days. - Person-to-person transmission of E. coli 0157:H7 has been documented. - A possible complication of hemorrhagic colitis is hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a leading cause of acute kidney failure in children and in the elderly. What is FSIS doing to detect E. coli? In March 1992, FSIS, working with the National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods, identified E. coli 0157:H7 as one of four pathogens it will continue to study, along with Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes and Campylobacter. Microbial pathogens have always been a concern in meat inspection, but the E. coli 0157:H7 outbreak reported in 1993 has focused increased attention on the role of federal inspection in their prevention and in detection of these deadly organisms in the food supply. Secretary of Agriculture Mike Espy said during the early days of the outbreak in the western states that USDA had a moral obligation to try to prevent such an outbreak from ever happening again. He directed the Food Safety and Inspection Service to accelerate its strategic two-track plan for inspection reform, which maximizes current science-based inspection capabilities and procedures in Track I at the same time it anticipates inspection changes for the future in Track II. Secretary Espy directed FSIS to concentrate on the Pathogen Reduction Program phase of Track I. Pathogen Reduction Program In its Pathogen Reduction Program, FSIS is working with other USDA and federal, state, and local governmental agencies and with consumer, industry, and professional groups. USDA and FSIS plans include: - seeking authority for mandatory anima ication, so that meat-borne problems can be traced back to their on-farm origins; - assisting producers in eradicating or controlling disease- causing organisms; - supporting development of rapid tests to detect and quantify microorganisms; - expanding research on pathogens during meat and poultry production and on interventions to reduce contamination; - initiating the science of quantitative risk assessment; - implementing national microbiological monitoring programs for cows, poultry, and swine; - conducting a study to determine if disabled cows constitute a greater public health risk than normal cows; - reviewing current slaughter methods to maximize reduction of carcass contamination; - using new information gained in this effort to enhance the use of veterinary medical officers in plants slaughtering high risk animals; - developing control programs for microbial monitoring in beef slaughter and ground beef processing plants, targeting key control points; - controlling bacterial proliferation, especially for ground meat products, by imposing additional time and temperature controls; - mandating safe cooking and handling instructions for labels on meat and poultry products; - developing initiatives to educate food service and retail establishments, including a teleconference and other joint efforts with state and local public health authorities; - intensifying consumer awareness campaigns on the risks of unsafe food handling practices, especially regarding ground beef; Microbiological Surveys In October 1992, FSIS began collecting raw beef samples in approximately 110 U.S. plants, where more than 99 percent of all steers and heifers are slaughtered. E. coli 0157:H7 is one of seven organisms selected for analysis in the nonregulatory program. Samples are being analyzed at the three FSIS technical support laboratories, and data will be published in future annual reports. The nationwide sampling program is a model for future microbiological data-gathering. HACCP FSIS and the Food and Drug Administration have identified the Hazard and Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) system as the most effective strategy for controlling the presence of pathogenic bacteria, including E. coli 0157:H7. The application of HACCP principles provides control of organisms of public health concern at points of food production, processing and handling. In the fall of 1993 FSIS will complete a comprehensive study of inspection procedures for plants using HACCP procedures. Controlling E. coli 0157:H7 in Food Preparation Whatever improvements are made in prior stages of food production and preparation, the role of the consumer will remain vital. The following safe food handling practices help prevent foodborne illness from all harmful pathogens, including E. coli 0157:H7: - NEVER DRINK raw milk. Use pasteurized milk. - After SHOPPING, quickly freeze or refrigerate perishable foods. - NEVER THAW food on the counter or let it sit out of the refrigerator over 2 hours. - USE refrigerated ground meat and patties in 1-2 days. - WASH hands, utensils and work areas with hot soapy water after contact with raw meat and meat patties. - Follow rules of PERSONAL HYGIENE, especially after bathroom use or after diapering of infants. - COOK meat and patties until the center is gray or brown. Juices should run clear with no trace of pink. ALL meat, poultry and fish should be well cooked. - If eating out, SEND BACK any meat, poultry or fish product that does not appear thoroughly cooked. - SERVE cooked food with clean plates and utensils. - MICROWAVE carefully. If your oven is a lower wattage than what is shown in the instructions, you ll need to cook food longer or at a higher setting. Cover and rotate food for even cooking. Let food stand outside the oven after cooking if so directed. The food will finish cooking as it stands. For more information on bacteria that cause foodborne illness and safe food handling, call: USDA's Meat and Poultry Hotline: 1-800-535-4555 in the Washington, D.C. area, call 202-720-3333 ----------------------- HACCP BACKGROUNDER ------------------ United States Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service FSIS Information Office (202) 720-9113 Media Relations Office (202) 720-0314 FSIS BACKGROUNDER HAZARD ANALYSIS AND CRITICAL CONTROL POINT (HACCP) SYSTEMS MAY 1993 The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is responsible for ensuring that meat and poultry products are safe, wholesome and accurately labeled. The HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point) concept has become universally recognized over the past 30 years as one of the best systems of process control to ensure food safety. For the past three years, FSIS has been conducting a comprehensive study of ways to implement a modernized, science-based inspection system based on HACCP. HACCP identifies critical points that must be controlled to prevent hazards from occurring. The system can be used in all types of meat and poultry plants from slaughter operations to cooking of ready-to-eat foods. In slaughter plants, for example, critical points would include those at which fecal contamination could occur. These points must be identified, along with preventive actions. The seven HACCP principles, defined by the National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods, illustrate how a plant can use HACCP to achieve product safety. For example, a processing plant would: - First, conduct a hazard analysis of steps in the process where frequent hazards occur. - Second, identify critical control points (CCPs), those points at which controls can be put in place to prevent a food safety hazard e.g., cooking is a CCP in a HACCP plan. - Third, set critical limits for each CCP e.g. cooking to a certain internal temperature. - Fourth, to track operations, set monitoring requirements e.g., checking oven and product temperatures. - Fifth, determine corrective actions when deviations are found e.g., continuing heating when the product has not reached the desired internal temperature. - Sixth, establish record-keeping for each CCP e.g., recording internal temperatures after product is taken out of the oven. - Seventh, establish procedures to verify that the HACCP system is working correctly e.g., verifying temperature with a second thermometer or doing microbial testing. History HACCP was developed in the 1960 s by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the U.S. Army Natick Laboratories. HACCP has been embraced and recommended for use in food production by such scientific organizations as the National Academy of Sciences, the International Commission on Microbiological Specifications for Foods, and the Codex Alimentarius Commission. The FSIS decided in 1990 to undertake a HACCP initiative. Because HACCP is designed for industry to use in production, the Agency's efforts have been focusing on how inspection activities can be developed to monitor and verify industry HACCP systems. The agency sponsored five workshops, where HACCP models for refrigerated foods, cooked sausage, fresh ground beef, swine slaughter, and poultry slaughter were developed. FSIS selected nine plants to develop and test their own HACCP plans, which were based on the workshop-generated models. Four plants have completed testing, and the other five plants are expected to complete testing in August 1993. FSIS will be concluding the study shortly and continuing preparations for implementation of HACCP. --------------------- PRESS RELEASE------------------------------ Release No. 0417.93 Steve Kinsella (703) 720-4026 Pat Wagner (202) 720-9113 USDA ANNOUNCES FOOD SAFETY OFFENSIVES WASHINGTON, May 27--Secretary of Agriculture Mike Espy today announced the results of a special review of slaughter houses nationwide and plans to require every U.S. meat and poultry plant to meet new strict production standards. "I want to see tough new safety standards, and I expect to see them enforced," Espy said today during a news conference at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The decision to move forward with specific new food safety initiatives, Espy said, "was necessary to modernize and revolutionize an archaic system that must do a better job of protecting consumers. "We cannot continue to run a system based on 1933 standards and procedures in 1993." During the news conference, Espy reported the results of a special review of 90 beef slaughter plants and outlined five new initiatives to improve meat inspection. Results of the USDA special review, which was conducted in response to the E. coli outbreak this winter, showed that 30 of 90 plants were ordered to temporarily shut down to clean up operations. Twelve of the 90 plants were placed under a special enforcement program in which continuing non-compliance would result in the withdrawal of federal inspection. "We will not settle for the status quo in meat inspection and I hope that the special review sends a clear message that we are serious about strict meat inspection enforcement," said Espy. In addition to the results of the special review, Espy announced the following five initiatives to upgrade meat inspection: *The publication of regulations that will mandate a process for the industry installation of a Hazard Analysis and Critical Point (HACCP) system. An HACCP system identifies critical points that must be controlled to prevent hazards from occurring. *The continuation of special in-plant reviews on an expanded basis to include all meat and poultry products and to quarterly report the results to the Assistant Secretary for Marketing and Inspection Service with an explanation of the corrective actions ordered by the Food Safety and Inspection Service. *The publication of a statement in the Federal Register within the next 60 days that specifies the criteria that the Inspection Service needs for rapid microbiological in-plant tests. *The inclusion of a public health advisor in the Food Safety and Inspection Service. *The preparation of a proposal for the secretary's consideration of needed changes in the inspection laws. The proposal is due to the secretary within 30 days of the final meat inspection regional hearing scheduled for June 18 in Philadelphia. (The other hearings either have been or will be: May 21, Dallas; June 2, Seattle; June 4, Des Moines, Iowa; June 9, Oakland, Calif; and June 11, Atlanta.) It is anticipated the proposed changes would include expansion of the department's authority to require identification of animals entering the slaughter house for more effective trace back from the processing plants to the farm. Also at the news conference, a report was released detailing the investigation of the E.coli outbreak in the West earlier this year. The report outlined an investigation to find the source of the E.coli. The report says that USDA officials have narrowed down the source to nine possible plants. Espy said that the system must be changed to improve trace back and he said that many of his initiatives will take steps in that direction. # ----------------------SPECIAL REVIEWS FACTSHEET ---------- United States Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service FSIS Information (202) 720-9113 FSIS FACTSHEET SPECIAL REVIEWS MAY 1993 The U.S. Department of Agriculture halted operations at 30 beef slaughter plants recently as the result of special unannounced reviews ordered by Secretary Mike Espy. The plants were not allowed to resume operations until the problems were corrected. Ninety plants, located in every part of the country, were reviewed. Twelve of them have been placed under a special USDA enforcement program for plants unable or unwilling to stay in compliance with federal inspection regulations. The special reviews were conducted by USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service, which is responsible for meat and poultry inspection. Specially trained review teams made unannounced visits to the 90 plants during March and April to check for slaughter conditions that could result in contaminated product. The reviews were prompted by the E. coli 0157:H7 outbreak last January in the west. Most of the plants reviewed were beef slaughter plants whose product is used for ground beef. Of the 90 plants visited, 26 had no negative findings reported by the reviewers. For 52 plants there were one or more findings that were corrected, with some corrections involving shutting down operations temporarily -- in some cases for several days. At 12 plants, conditions were still unacceptable during a second review. These 12 plants were placed under the FSIS Progressive Enforcement Action program, in which continuing non-compliance would result in the withdrawal of federal inspection. Attached is a list of the plants in each category. Midwest Plants with One or More Negative Findings Caldwell Packing Est. 683 Windom, MN ConAgra Est. 7A Edgar, WI Gibbon Packing Est. 5511 Gibbon, NE Greater Omaha Packing Est. 960 Omaha, NE Green Bay Dressed Beef Est. 410 IBP Est. 278 Holcomb, KS Peck Foods Corporation Est. 17690 Milwaukee, WI Pine Valley Meats Est. 1361 Norwalk, WI Smit & Sons Beef Processors Est. 2376 Boyden, IA *indicates plants that were shut down for more than 4 hours Progressive Enforcement Action Plants Beef America Operating Co., Inc. Est. 53 Norfork, NE Ken Meyer Meats, Inc. Est. 98 Cincinnati, OH Lovett & Sons, Inc. Est. 13143 Hastings, NE Tri-State Beef Co., Inc. Est. 1750 Cincinnati, OH (* indicates plants shut down for more than four hours.) Plants with No Negative Findings Long Prairie Packing Est. 253 Long Prairie, MN Murco, Inc. Est. 421 Plainwell, MI ------------------------------- TWO-TRACK APPROACH TO RISK-BASED INSPECTION SYSTEM -------------------------------- The 9,000 employees of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) are dedicated to ensuring that the nation's meat and poultry supply is safe, wholesome and accurately labeled. A 1906 law established an inspection program to detect evidence of diseased animals. In recent years it has been evolving from a system relying on FSIS inspectors' presence and observations in some 6,400 plants to a program increasingly based on science and technology to control hazards posing the greatest risks to consumers. Even though many agree that inspection must be modernized, there is much debate about what an ideal system should be and how it should be attained. The tragic outbreak of illness in Washington State in early 1933 caused by E. coli 0157:H7 has greatly accelerated the urgency for implementing change. FSIS has set its goal to become a science and risk-based system before the year 2000. To achieve this reform, FSIS is taking a two-track approach - simultaneously working to maximize the current inspection system (Track I) and engaging in an open, long-term effort to plan a regulatory program for the future (Track II). The two-track approach allows the Agency to operate the current inspection system at its maximum level within Track I while planning a Track II program without current constraints and limitations. The Agency's Pathogen Reduction Program, launched in response to E. coli 0157:H7 outbreak, is a working model for the two-track approach: it is a focused program aimed at immediate solutions (Track I) and it could lead to new regulatory approaches for the future (Track II). TRACK I: MAXIMIZING THE PERFORMANCE OF THE CURRENT INSPECTION SYSTEM In Track I, FSIS is maximizing the performance of the current inspection system via six imperatives: Public Involvement Promoting greater public ownership or responsibility for food safety among public health officials, educators, and industry scientists and managers by: -increasing public participation in decision making; -facilitating public access to information by making arly in the decision-making process concept papers and status reports on new programs; -appointing persons with diverse points of views to advisory committees; and; -conducting open meetings and tele- and audio-conferences. Staff and Structure Aligning the Agency staff and structure for full utilization, assigning its employees to achieve maximum efficiency and ensure public health protection, by: - making additional positions available for inspection duties in plants; and - designing ways to implement recommendations for processing inspection and exemptions from inspection. Labor Relations Building a strong and mutually supportive relationship with employees by: - working to improve communications and information distribution among FSIS employees, in the field and at headquarters; - setting up formal procedures for involving employee organizations in policy planning; - training and utilizing the existing workforce to build the regulatory program for the future. Reduce Pathogens Reducing the threat of pathogens by: - carrying out the Agency's multi-faceted Pathogen Reduction Program, which includes improving the understanding of sources of contamination, modes of transmission, and other factors such as the pathogen's resistance to heat and freezing; - carrying out baseline studies on microbial contamination of steers, heifers, cows, ground beef, swine and chickens; and - encouraging the use of such microbial controls as organic acid sprays. - mandating safe handling instructions on meat and poultry product labels through the Pathogen Reduction Program. Consumer Service and Education Improving consumer service and education through extensive interaction with all FSIS constituency groups, by: - providing leadership for an intensified education program on safe cooking and handling of meat and poultry and expanding the education role of the FSIS Meat and Poultry Hotline. Science and Technology Making decisions based on science and technology, by: - encouraging research on FSIS priority items; - using a formal risk analysis process to make risk management decisions; - setting up procedures to obtain advice of recognized experts on regulatory issues; and - encouraging and, if necessary, mandating use of technology and process to controls to produce safe products. TRACK II: THE MEAT AND POULTRY REGULATORY PROGRAM OF THE FUTURE The long-term evolutionary Track II effort must operate on a separate track from the short-term evolutionary Track I, because of the inherent differences in the two approaches. The Agency, however, is pursuing the twoapproaches at the same time. That means FSIS staff is moving to improve the current meat and poultry inspection system and simultaneously thinking ahead. While the portrait of tomorrow's ideal regulatory program has not yet been characterized, the process for designing the new risk-based system has been determined. It must be an open process that encompasses Total Quality Management principles and, therefore, centers around broad participation. In the planning stages, the Agency plans to bring together its employees and its constituencies - consumers, industry, the public health and academic communities. To involve more individuals, FSIS is planning several activities, including town meetings for employees, open hearings for the public and employees, audio and teleconferences witha variety of groups, and call-ins for FSIS employees to headquarters via a nationwide, toll-free phone line. FSIS will keep its employees and the public involved in every step of this process to design an ideal program to protect the public health by ensuring meat and poultry safety. For additional information please contact: FSIS, Information Office 14th & Independence Ave., SW Room 1148, South Building Washington, DC 20250 Telephone: (202) 720-9113 Fax: (202) 690-0460  .