Source: MEATINGPLACE, 12/22/11

New, tougher federal safety standards for poultry will prevent up to 25,000 foodborne illnesses a year, while the planned “test and hold” program for beef may have avoided dozens of product recalls had it been in place between 2007 and 2009, USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack said Wednesday.

The test-and-hold policy for beef, which will be implemented in the coming months, requires facilities to hold products until microbiological testing can determine they are safe to release into commerce.

Vilsack, speaking on a conference call with reporters to discuss a progress report issued on government efforts to strengthen the food safety system, said “test and hold” would have prevented 44 Class I recalls between 2007 and 2009. To view the full report, click here.

He also pointed to the zero-tolerance policy established for six additional strains of pathogenic E. coli — 026, 0103, 045, 0111, 0121 and O145 — as a key step forward in making the food supply safer.
“This is a very significant step in order to make ground beef and tenderized steaks safer for consumption,” Vilsack said.

In addition, stricter pathogen-reduction performance standards for salmonella in broiler and turkey slaughter establishments and the creation of the first-ever pathogen-reduction standards for campylobacter in poultry will result in safer products, Vilsack said.

For more stories, go to www.meatingplace.com.