Source:  Rita Jane Gabbett,  MEATINGPLACE.COM, 5/13/10

The American Meat Institute is unaware of any data that would support the need to change current policy regarding E. coli follow-up sampling and inspection methods except in the case of high event periods, according to AMI Vice President of Food Safety and Inspection Services Scott Goltry.

In comments submitted to USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service on the issue of tracing procedures for E. coli O157:H7, AMI agreed each establishment should develop or continue to use process control procedures that are based on findings, corrections and possible changes in production or disposition and react appropriately when there are higher than normal positive tests.

"AMI contends, however, that a set, predetermined number of positive test results defines a high event period for an establishment, as previously mentioned by FSIS, is without basis in science and fact," AMI wrote.

AMI noted that in 2009, there were 35 federal ground beef verification positives, which resulted in 492 ground beef and 940 raw ground beef component follow-up samples. Thus, there were 40.9 follow-up samples taken for each ground beef positive, "evidence that existing E. coli O157:H7 tracing measures are effective."

AMI also encouraged the agency to adopt or support the control of product pending lab analysis, better known as test and hold, which AMI has petitioned USDA to implement.

AMI recommended USDA review ground beef production practices and sample ground beef products that are routinely produced by the processing facility instead of, for instance, a processor grinding a primal, or coarse ground beef, when those products are not routinely used by the business to produce ground beef.

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