CSMS Message: 13-000059

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), Office of Policy and Program Development will hold a teleconference to discuss the new FSIS policy requiring producers to hold shipments of non-intact raw beef, intact raw beef products intended for non-intact use and all ready-to-eat products containing meat and poultry until they pass agency testing for food borne adulterants.

The discussion will focus on requirements for importers of record while products are tested for adulterants by the agency. While the mark of inspection may continue to be applied, the importer of record must maintain ownership and not allow the product to enter commerce until negative results are received. FSIS will test for Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella and anticipates most negative test results will be determined within two days.

The teleconference will be held Feb. 7 from 2-3 p.m. (EST). The call-in number is (888) 858-2144 and the participant pass code is 5277207. Callers will be permitted to ask questions at the end of the call. For more information, contact Kurt Krusekopf at (979) 862-4381 or kurt.krusekopf@fsis.usda.gov.

FSIS developed the "hold and test" policy, which will reduce consumer exposure to unsafe meat products, based on public comment and input received on a Federal Register Notice published in April 2011. The effective date of the policy is February 8, 2013. FSIS estimates if this new requirement had been in place between 2007 through 2010, 49 of the 251 meat, poultry and processed egg product recalls that occurred during that period could have been prevented.

The agency issued two notices and a set of compliance guidelines to assist producers and importers of record.

The notices are available at www.fsis.usda.gov/Regulations_&_Policies/FSIS_Notices_Index/index.asp ,

and the compliance guidelines at www.fsis.usda.gov/Regulations_&_Policies/Compliance_Assistance/index.asp