WASHINGTON – The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) on Tuesday issued Notice 56-08, which addresses Food Safety Assessments (FSAs) conducted to analyze an establishment’s control of Salmonella.

Reports said that the notice provides specific methods that FSIS personnel are supposed to use when evaluating control of Salmonella in poultry slaughter operations.

Each completed sample set result will be recorded in one of three categories in relation to the standard or baseline guidelines as set out in the Federal Register Notice (71 Fed. Reg, 9772), Salmonella Verification Sample Result Reporting: Agency Policy and Use in Public Health Protection, as follows:

1. Category 1. 50 percent or less of the performance standard or baseline guidance (consistent process control);

2. Category 2. From 51 percent of the performance standard or regulatory guideline to the performance standard or baseline guidance (variable process control); and

3. Category 3. Greater than performance standard or baseline guidance (highly variable process control).

Enforcement, Investigations, and Analysis Officers (EIAOs) are to follow the instructions in FSIS Directive 5100.1, “Enforcement, Investigations, and Analysis Officer (EIAO) Comprehensive Food Safety Assessment Methodology,” when conducting FSAs at poultry slaughter establishments.

 

Source: American Meat Institute