Source: Rita Jane Gabbett, MEATINGPLACE, 6/10/14
 
USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service announced it is proceeding with its salmonella verification sampling program proposed last August without changes to the proposal.

After reviewing comments on an August 28, 2013, Federal Register document, "Changes to Salmonella Verification Sampling Program: Analysis of Raw Beef for Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli and Salmonella'' FSIS is now affirming its plans to begin analyzing for Salmonella all beef product it analyzes for Shiga toxin- producing Escherichia coli (STEC) as outlined in that document and will proceed with implementing those plans without changes.

On June 29, 2014, FSIS will discontinue Salmonella sampling set procedures ("HC01'') in ground beef products, except in establishments with results that exceeded the standard for Salmonella in that establishment's most recently completed set (i.e., in those establishments in Category 3).

At the same time, FSIS will begin analyzing for Salmonella all raw beef samples it collects for STEC analysis and will increase the raw ground beef sample portion for Salmonella analysis from 25 grams to 325 grams.

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