Source: Tom Johnston, MEATINGPLACE, 11/17/11

USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service will extend by 30 days the comment period for a proposed rule to declare six strains of non-O157 shiga toxin-producing E. coli as adulterants in certain beef products, the American Meat Institute said late Wednesday, citing a letter from FSIS Administrator Alfred Almanza.

The new deadline to file comments is Dec. 21.  

However, FSIS kept in place its plan to launch its related sampling program on March 5, 2012, AMI said.
AMI and seven other associations had requested an extension to give industry more time prepare.

“FSIS is now in a position to carry out an enforceable program to control non-O157 STEC,” Almanza said in the Nov. 15 letter, according to AMI.

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