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1 1 (October 16, 2024)

handle is hein.crs/goveqzc0001 and id is 1 raw text is: nforning th leg s ative dabate sine 1914 October 16, 2024 Federal Inspection of Meat, Poultry, and Egg Products On July 19, 2024, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA's) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), and state public health regulatory officials announced an investigation into a multistate outbreak of Listeria, also known as listeriosis or listeria infection. As part of that investigation, an unopened Boar's Head brand liverwurst product collected from a retail store tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes, the species of bacteria that causes Listeria. That product's manufacturer, Boar's Head Provisions Co., Inc., issued a voluntary recall on July 26, 2024, of over 200,000 pounds of liverwurst products produced at its plant in Jarratt, VA. Four days later, Boar's Head expanded its recall by including 7 million pounds of additional ready-to-eat meat and poultry products. On September 13, 2024, Boar's Head announced an indefinite closure of the Jarratt establishment. By September 30, 2024, 10 people had died and 59 others across 19 states were hospitalized, representing the largest foodborne listeria outbreak since an incident in 2011 involving cantaloupes in Colorado. Listeria can survive and grow in refrigerated conditions and has a high resistance to common preservative methods, such as the addition of salt, smoke, or acids to food. It also thrives in moist environments. Reports that conditions ideal for the prolific growth of Listeria were present in the Boar's Head facility have led to congressional interest in the effectiveness of U.S. food safety laws and regulations. This In Focus summarizes FSIS's role in ensuring that meat, poultry, and egg products are safe, wholesome, and properly labeled. ackground FSIS derives its inspection authority from the Federal Meat Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. §§601 et seq.), the Poultry Products Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. §§451 et seq.), the Egg Products Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. §§1031 et seq.), and the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act (7 U.S.C. §§1901 et seq.). The agency's field staff conducts inspection tasks in 6,900 federally regulated establishments. FSIS also supports state meat and poultry inspection programs across the 29 states with which it has cooperative agreements. These 1,450 state-inspected establishments are restricted to intrastate commerce, unless they are located in one of the 10 states that have opted in to the Cooperative Interstate Shipment program. FSIS may also enter into cooperative agreements that allow state inspectors to conduct federal inspections. Approximately 360 establishments in nine states, including the Boar's Head facility, are overseenby the Talmadge- Aiken Cooperative Inspection program (Talmadge-Aiken; 7 U.S.C. §1633). inspecton Act vtes All meat, poultry, and egg products must undergo federal inspection before entering commerce. Federal oversight begins when an animal enters the regulated establishment. Inspectors are to verify that all livestock offered for slaughter are handled humanely, including during on-site transportation and unloading, and that each animal is free from disease or injury that may render it unfit for human consumption. Following slaughter, carcasses deemed sound, healthful, wholesome, and otherwise unadulterated by the inspectors are stamped with the official mark of inspection. FSIS requires establishments to use the science-based Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP; 9 C.F.R. §§417 et seq.) system to identify possible points of contamination and implement measures to control those points. This method of preventative control is to reduce or eliminate microbial pathogens on raw products that may cause foodborne illness. Establishments must also implement sanitation performance standards (SPS; 9 C.F.R. §§416.1-416.5) and sanitation standard operating procedures (SSOPs; 9 C.F.R. §§416.11-416.17). One or more inspectors is required to be present during slaughter. In processing facilities, an inspector performs daily inspection tasks at least once per each eight-hour shift. Establishments adequately implementing HACCP, SPS, and SSOPs are deemed by FSIS to be producing products that are not adulterated or misbranded. Inspectors review the establishment's sampling and testing records for certain microorganism contamination. Results of inspection tasks are recorded in FSIS's Public Health Information System and discussed weekly with establishment management. nforcement Actions An establishment's failure to meet regulatory requirements is documented as a noncompliance record (NR). An NR addresses a specific issue observed at a specific time for which the establishment must resolve and prevent its recurrence (Table 1). Table I. Compliance Rates by Quarter for FY2023 Tasks Compliance FY2023 Performed NRs Rate QI 1,850,466 22,036 98.8% Q2 1,913,158 23,984 98.7% Q3 1,922,448 22,952 98.8% Q4 1,921,401 24,814 98.7% Total 7,607,473 93,786 98.8%

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