Reminder: Upcoming Deadline to Comment on Proposed Salmonella Framework
As announced in the October 28, 2022, Constituent Update, FSIS extended the written comment period on the proposed Salmonella framework to December 16, 2022. Written comments should be submitted through Regulations.gov. Visit the FSIS website to view the Federal Register notice and details on how to comment.
FSIS Highlights Best Practices on Food Safety for Online Delivery Services
FSIS serves as regulatory advisors to the Conference for Food Protection (CFP), where we provide guidance on how recommendations to the Food Code may be impacted by regulations for meat, poultry and egg products. CFP identifies and addresses emerging problems associated with food safety and is comprised of representatives from the food industry, state and local health departments, government, academia and consumer organizations.
FSIS with other federal agencies collaborated with CFP and formed the Direct to Consumer Delivery Committee to provide guidance and food safety best practices for third-party delivery services in preventing biological, physical and chemical contamination. In that today’s consumer has many vehicles and avenues by which to access varied commodities, ordering food by way of E-commerce can pose some food safety challenges. The Guidance Document for Direct-to-Consumer and Third-Party Delivery Service Food Delivery was developed by the Committee with focus on key parameters all companies should consider when delivering to the consumer.
You can now find this document on the FSIS Mail Order Food Safety page or the FSIS Retail Guidance page. FSIS intends to provide additional guidance to better clarify operations that are required to be under inspection vs. those that qualify for retail, custom, or other exemptions. FSIS will request comment on this guidance once it is developed.
FSIS to Post Updated Datasets on Import Refusals
On December 15, 2022, FSIS will update the publicly posted dataset on import refusals for products that the agency regulates. Federal law requires every commercial shipment of imported meat, poultry, and egg products to be reinspected prior to product entering U.S. commerce. FSIS reinspects each shipment to verify labeling, proper certification, general condition, and any signs of tampering and to identify product adulterated by transportation damage. FSIS also performs additional activities on a random and/or for-cause basis, such as physical product examination and laboratory sampling for pathogens and chemical residues.
Any product that does not meet FSIS requirements is refused entry, and the importer has up to 45 days (30 days for egg products) to have the product destroyed for use as human food, re-exported/returned to the country of origin, converted to animal food, or brought into compliance with FSIS requirements, if applicable (e.g., relabeled, remarked, or issued a replacement certificate).
The current import refusals dataset is updated around the 15th of each month and the archived dataset is updated around the 15th of the first month of each quarter. The datasets contain each shipment with product that was refused entry. To access these datasets or view more information about them, please visit the Import and Export Data page.
Available for Public Comment
FSIS seeks public comments on proposed rules and notices, which are viewable on the FSIS Federal Register & Rulemaking webpage. FSIS is currently seeking comments on the following:
- Until December 16: Proposed Framework for Controlling Salmonella in Poultry
- Until December 27: Notice of Request To Renew an Approved Information Collection: Specified Risk Materials
- Until December 27: Notice of Request To Renew an Approved Information Collection: Permit To Obtain Specimens of Condemned or Other Inedible Materials From Official Establishments
- Until December 30: NACMCF Report: Enhancing Salmonella Control in Poultry Products
- Until January 23: Use of a Non-Destructive Surface Sampling Device to Sample Domestic Beef Manufacturing Trimmings and Bench Trim
FSIS notices and directives on public health and regulatory issues are available on the FSIS Policy webpage. The following policy update was recently issued:
FSIS Notice 66-22 - Instructions for Verifying the Implementation of the 2021 Cooking Guideline (Revised Appendix A) And Stabilization Guideline (Revised Appendix B)
Export Requirements Update
The Library of Export Requirements has been updated for products for the following:
- Peru
- St. Lucia
- Turks & Caicos Islands
- Honduras
- Guatemala
- Myanmar
- Kiribati
- Solomon Islands
- Western Samoa (Samoa)
- Tunisia
- Chile
- Japan
- Kuwait
- Qatar
- United Arab Emirates
- New Caledonia
- Vietnam
- Singapore
- Korea
- French Polynesia (Tahiti)
- China
- Taiwan
- Canada
Original source can be found here.
