USDA FSIS Issues <i>E. coli</I> Notice

WASHINGTON — USDA FSIS is issuing this notice because the rate at which it is finding E. coli O157:H7 in product, and the recent recalls because of the pathogen’s presence, indicate that the measures employed by a number of establishments to address E. coli O157:H7 are inadequate.

An establishment that receives, grinds, or otherwise processes raw beef products cannot conclude that E. coli O157:H7 is not reasonably likely to occur in its production process because the product it receives bears the mark of inspection. The mark of inspection is a reflection of a finding made by FSIS personnel that the establishment has followed the validated procedures in its HACCP plan, not that the pathogen has been eliminated or reduced to undetectable levels.

If inspection program personnel find that an establishment’s only conclusion regarding control of the pathogen is a determination that E. coli is not reasonably likely to occur in its operation because the product that it receives bears the mark of inspection, they are to correlate with the District Office through the Front-line Supervisor to determine whether it is necessary for an Enforcement, Investigations and Analysis Officer to conduct a Food Safety Assessment, or whether an enforcement action such as a Notice of Intended Enforcement (NOIE) is warranted because the HACCP plan is inadequate.

Read the full notice here.