USDA´s Food Safety and Inspection Service, in conjunction with the United States Attorney´s Office for the District of Puerto Rico, announce the indictment of a Puerto Rican businessman for violations of the Federal Meat and Poultry Inspection Acts.
The North American Meat Processors Association has confirmed that FSIS headquarters yesterday told all district managers that all inspectors in the plant, all front line supervisors, and all EAIO’s are deemed “essential employees” and should work as usual if the federal government shuts down at midnight Friday.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is proposing a new requirement for the meat and poultry industry that, once enacted, will reduce the amount of unsafe food that reaches store shelves.
The Food Safety and Inspection Service announced implementation of revised and new performance standards for Salmonella and Campylobacter in young chickens and turkeys. The standards will become effective in July 2011.
Yamaya USA, Inc., a Torrance, Calif., establishment, is recalling approximately 612 pounds of pork loin cutlet fritter products because they contain monosodium glutamate (MSG) which is not declared on the label.
Prior to her Feb. 10, 2011, presentation at the National Turkey Federation’s annual convention, Dr. Elisabeth Hagen, Under Secretary for Food Safety for USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), provided updates to several agency initiatives in a one-on-one interview with Dave Lurie, publisher of The National Provisioner. What follows is their conversation:
Beginning this spring, the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) will implement its new Public Health Information System (PHIS). This new system will replace the current Performance Based Inspection System (PBIS) at all establishments, as well as serve as the new procedure for imports and exports.
A quick review of the FSIS current recall list shows that there is a significant number of recalls relating to undeclared allergens. In some cases, the wrong packaging was used; in others, suppliers had changed ingredients, but the change was never communicated to the processor so that its production/labeling staff could update the product labels or refuse to accept the “new” ingredient.
NMA elects 2011 officers and directors; New NTF chairman calls on turkey industry to “do the right thing”; AMSA to host Student Leadership Conference on April 12; FSIS issues notice on inspection responsibilities for slaughter line speed process control; Record year for beef exports, USMEF reports; Canada announces new food allergen labeling regulations
