Source:  Rita Jane Gabbett, MEATINGPLACE.COM, 11/13/09

Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) is asking USDA's Office of the Inspector General to investigate the scientific merits and potential shortcomings of N-60 testing, the protocol used by meat processors and USDA to verify ground beef is not tainted by E. coli O157:H7.

DeLauro's request comes in the wake of the most recent E. coli outbreak involving ground beef from Ashville, N.Y.-based Fairbank Farms, which was linked to two deaths and resulted in the company recalling 545,699 pounds of fresh ground beef products.

In a letter to USDA Inspector General Phyllis Fong, DeLauro noted the Fairbank Farms facility traced to the outbreak tests product every 10 to 20 minutes to check for contamination, "which is likely more frequent than the industry average" and employs a "test and hold" policy until test results are obtained.

"I am troubled by the shortcomings of the N-60 test and the associated food safety implications, and that is why I am requesting an investigation into the scientific merits of this beef testing protocol," DeLauro stated. She categorized her concerns as: the statistical validity of the test, the sample collection and analysis and the application of test results.

The full text of the letter is available here. 

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