Source: Lisa M. Keefe, MEATINGPLACE, 10/14/14

The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has issued two notices for inspection program personnel, conveying directions for how to conduct their inspections under the Modernization of Poultry Slaughter Inspection rules, due to go into effect later this month.

Notice 50-14, “Verification of Online Reprocessing and Offline Reprocessing Antimicrobial  Intervention Systems,” addresses how inspectors should verify that an establishment’s procedures for reprocessing accidentally contaminated poultry using online reprocessing (OLR) or offline reprocessing (OFLR) antimicrobial intervention systems are effective, and that the establishment is meeting regulatory requirements for the use of these systems.

Notice 51-14, “Change in Chilling Requirements for Ready-to-Cook Poultry,” addresses the removal from the regulations of specific time and temperature requirements for the chilling of RTC poultry, and new requirements that poultry establishments develop, implement and maintain written procedures to prevent outgrowth of pathogens on carcasses immediately after slaughter operations.

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