October 8, 2007

FSIS to tighten up checks on meat processing plants
 

The Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) announced several actions that may affect the meat industry, including increased scrutiny of beef processing plants to ensure that the steps they are taking to control E.coli would be effective.

The announcement comes after the largest meat recall in US history, involving 21 million pounds of meat after a handful of people were sickened after eating E.coli contaminated patties. The recall also threatened to shut down one of the largest beef patty suppliers in the US.

FSIS also intends to review its recall policies and dispatch Enforcement, Investigations and Analysis Officers (EIAOs) upon receiving notice of any positive sample result.

In response, American Meat Institute Foundation President James H. Hodges issued a statement stating that the meat industry is committed to producing a safe and wholesome product.

He cited a USDA figures stating that E. coli in ground beef has declined by 72 percent since 2000 thanks to aggressive controls in place throughout the industry.

While he concedes that systems are not perfect, the foundation would cooperate fully in assessing current systems in operation and would work with the USDA to ensure that underlying controls are supported and verified so as to assure the public that the necessary food safety interventions are in place.

The AMI foundation is a non-profit research, education and information foundation established by the American Meat Institute to study ways the meat and poultry industry can produce better, safer products and operate more efficiently.