WASHINGTON – The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) on Thursday published Directive 12700.1 Operations Occurring Outside Approved Hours.

A release from the FSIS said the directive instructs Office of Field Operations (OFO) personnel regarding how they should respond when an establishment conducts operations or activities that require inspection outside the facility’s approved hours and without inspection. There is also guidance on when an official import inspection facility operates without inspection.

According to the statement, if activities that require inspection occur outside a plant’s approved hours and without inspection coverage, agency officials are to do several things. They should meet with plant management about the issue and contact the District Office (DO) or RIFO/Office of International Affairs (OIA), through supervisory channels. Such behavior by the plant could result in a suspension of operations. Products produced in such a circumstance that bear the mark of inspection would be retained if they are still at the establishment and, if in commerce, could be subject to recall.

The directive can be found at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OPPDE/rdad/FSISDirectives/12700.1.pdf.

Source: American Meat Institute