Food Safety - Escherichia coli spp. / Escherichia coli O157:H7 E. coli O157:H7 is one of hundreds of strains of the bacterium Escherichia coli. Although most strains are harmless and live in the intestines of healthy humans and animals, this strain produces a powerful toxin and can cause severe illness. Thanks to many food safety technologies used by the meat industry, E. coli O157:H7 is removed during processing and is found in ground beef less than one percent of the time.   FSIS Policy Information HACCP Escherichia coli O157:H7 Reassessment Information FSIS Issues Questions & Answers on E. coli O157:H7 Directives - Questions and Answers Regarding Directives 5000.2, 6420.2, and 10,010.1, Revision 1, and the Compliance Guidelines on E. coli O157:H7. FSIS Directive 5000.2: Review of Establishment Data by Inspection Program Personnel - The purpose of this directive is to clarify that inspection program personnel have access to a wide range of records under the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control (HACCP) regulations and that they are to request to review certain types of records on a regular basis. FSIS Directive 6420.2: Verification of Procedures for Controlling Fecal Material, ingesta, and Milk in Slaughter Operations - This directive provides inspection program personnel with the methodology for protecting public health by verifying, documenting, and enforcing the requirement of zero tolerance. FSIS Directive 10,010.1: Microbiological Testing Program for Escherichia Coli O157:H7 in Raw Ground Beef - This Directive provides FSIS inspection program personnel, program investigators, and import inspection personnel instruction for sampling raw beef products as part of verification testing for Escherichia coli O157:H7. Compliance Guidelines for Establishments on the FSIS Microbiological Testing Program and Other Verification Activities for Escherichia coli O157:H7 Draft Compliance Guideline for Sampling Beef Trimmings for Escherichia coli O157:H7 Draft Guidance for Small and Very Small Establishments on Sampling Beef Products for Escherichia coli O157:H7   Supporting Documentation Validation of Dry-Aging as an Effective Intervention Step Against Escherichia coli O157:H7 on Beef Carcasses - Produced by Dr. Dennis Buege and Dr. Steve Ingham from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Contains information regarding dry-aging as an effective intervention against Escherichia coli O157:H7. E. coli O157:H7 Reassessment - Produced by Dr. Lynn Knipe from the Ohio State University. Contains interventions that may be used in the reassessment of HACCP plans to address E. coli O157:H7 as a hazard likely to occur. Reassessing Your HACCP Plan For E. coli O157:H7 - Informational bulletin produced by Bernard Shire on the reassessment of HACCP plans to address E. coli O157:H7. Guidance For Beef Grinders and Suppliers Of Boneless Beef and Trim Products - Produced by the FSIS, this guide is intended to illustrates how grinders and suppliers of boneless beef and trim products can implement controls to minimize food safety hazards, such as E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella associated with ground beef. Guidance For Minimizing The Risk Of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella In Beef Slaughter Operations - Produced by the FSIS, this guide illustrates the implementation of controls to minimize food safety hazards (e.g. E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella ). This guide was designed on the belief that E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella are likely to be food hazards reasonably likely to occur in beef production.