In my column last month (“USDA policies drag down processors who ‘test and find’, The National Provisioner, March 2012), I discussed how current FSIS policy (which invariably reacts critically to any positive testing results) discourages companies from aggressively testing to find pathogens in their products.
When adulterants are found in ground-beef products, the results must be shared with FSIS and determinations made regarding which products are potentially affected and how they will be disposed. Unfortunately, in many instances, FSIS will use a company’s positive findings as a catalyst to aggressively and sometimes unreasonably second-guess its actions and response.