April, 1998 - F.S.I.S. proposes production guidelines for beef grinders

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Meat industry members have until May 19 to comment on F.S.I.S. proposed guidelines for beef grinders. The policy was designed to help grinding operations avoid E. coli O157:H7 and other foodborne pathogens.

The document, Guidance for Beef Grinders to Better Protect Public Health, is divided into two sections, addressing guiding principles and suggested procedures for grinding operations. The first section outlines eight precepts for avoiding recalls and product liability in the current regulatory HACCP environment and promoting food safety. Principles range from recognizing the need to develop standards for raw materials to ensuring safe in-house handling procedures and providing safe handling information to end users (E-mail Lynn Knipe for a copy, which can be faxed or (U.S.) mailed to you).

The second section of the manual recommends specific procedures for receiving and storing raw material; grinding; packaging, cooling and storage; shipping, handling and distribution; record keeping; and educating employees, distributors, food handlers and consumers.

F.S.I.S. also announced plans to review third-party guidance materials and consider collaborating with other organizations to produce official guidelines. The agency will hold a public meeting on April 22 at the Arlington Hilton and Towers, Arlington, Va., to discuss the proposed guidelines and hear presentations from potential collaborators.

Send comments to F.S.I.S. Docket Clerk, Docket No. 98-004N, Rm. 102, Cotton Annex, 300 12th St. S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-3700.

This article reprinted with permission from Meat & Poultry Magazine.

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