WASHINGTON – In response to questions about Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) Notices 17-07 and 18-07, the agency is providing new guidance to inspection personnel on collecting samples of raw beef components for E. coli O157:H7 testing

Reports said the notice, 77-08, provides new instructions for submitting samples to the laboratory for E. coli testing.

Currently, FSIS personnel are not to send samples to the laboratory until the establishment has completed pre-shipment review for the sampled lot. Under this notice, however, inspection program personnel are instructed not to wait until the establishment completes pre-shipment review before submitting raw beef samples to the laboratory for E. coli testing.

Inspection program personnel are to submit the raw beef sample to the laboratory after the establishment has completed all interventions, except for any intervention that is based on microbiological test results. FSIS will reportedly be collecting and submitting samples to the laboratory before the establishment completes pre-shipment review.

To view this notice, click here: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OPPDE/rdad/FSISNotices/77-08.pdf.

Source: American Meat Institute