The Agriculture Department's Food Safety and Inspection
Service is publishing a notice to processors of mechanically
tenderized beef that they must reassess their HACCP plans
for E. coli O157:H7 and other biological hazards potentially
associated with the product. The requirement also applies
to HACCP plan reassessments for products injected with
marinade or "enhanced" products.
The notice doesn't signal a change in formal FSIS regulations,
but rather provides guidance on sanitation procedures
relevant to mechanically tenderized beef, according to
FSIS Senior Press Officer Steven Cohen. Cohen said the
notice was issued as a result of three E. coli outbreaks
associated with such products.
According to the notice, processors should give consideration
to sanitation procedures for needles, reservoirs and piping
in order to prevent the translocation of surface bacteria
to the product's interior during tenderization.
Specific recommendations include:
