SEMA_________________________________

SOUTHEASTERN MEAT ASSOCIATION
P.O. Box 620777; Oviedo, FL 32762 Phone: 407-365-5661

E. coli O157:H7 Testing In "Bench Trim"
FSIS Directive 10010.1, Rev. 2 FSIS Notice 51-09

“Bench Trimmings” defined as beef manufacturing trimmings derived from cattle not slaughtered on site at the establishment. Such trim may include secondary trimming of primal and subprimal resulting in small or large pieces, or any other cuts designated for non-intact use. Such trim would not already be sampled under the current routine trim testing program or the routine testing program for other raw ground beef or patty components (MT50 and MT54).

Establishments that produce bench trim are subject to sampling under this program. Before collecting samples, IPP are to notify the management of the official establishment that they will be collecting a sample and are to provide enough notice for the establishment to hold the sampled lot should it choose to do so.

NOTE: If an establishment produces bench trim from steaks or roasts that are non-intact or are to be made non-intact (e.g., they have been or will be needle tenderized), a finding that the bench trim is positive for E. coli O157:H7 would evidence that the steaks or roasts are also positive and thus adulterated. However, the establishment may have a supportable basis for distinguishing the steak or roast from the bench trim. For example, if the establishment applies an antimicrobial treatment to the steaks or roasts before tenderization, but not to the bench trim, the establishment may be able to support that the positive applies only to the bench trim. If establishments produce trimmings from cattle slaughtered on site, they will continue to be subject to sampling under the MT50 program.

For more information go to: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/regulations/index.asp

SEMA Partners with 18 Groups on E. coli O157:H7 Conference for North American Beef Further Processors

The Southeast Meat Association (SEMA) is partnering with other organizations and trade media to host a conference on the prevention of E. coli O157:H7 on August 18-19. The conference at the Four Points by Sheraton Chicago O’Hare Airport will bring together experts from academia, government, and industry to discuss the requirements, options, and technologies to control E. coli O157:H7. The conference is designed for processors who produce ground beef, mechanically tenderized steaks and other non-intact beef products. Simultaneous English-Spanish translation will be provided for the entire conference if needed.

For more information and program details, go to www.NAMP.com, or call toll-free at 800.368.3043 ext. 103.

Food Defense Verification Procedures

FSIS reissued Directive 5420.1, Revision 5 - Homeland Security Threat Condition Response - Food Defense Verification Procedures.

Key points covered include:

• a risk-based approach for scheduling food defense verification procedures
• how Threat Condition declarations will be communicated to field personnel
• how to respond to Threat Condition declarations
• how to effectively address and resolve noted security concerns in order to ensure that food is
  protected, thereby protecting public health; and
• how to determine if an establishment has developed, implemented, tested, assessed, and
  maintains, a food defense plan.

The directive is available at: www.fsis.usda.gov/regulations_&_policies/regulations_directives_&_notices/index.asp.

The House gives FDA more Authority

The House of Representatives voted to give the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) more authority. Under the new bill FDA will conduct more frequent inspections and have the authority to order recalls and set up guidelines for companies on how to keep records. The legislation applies only to the FDA and so would not cover meat or poultry products, which are overseen by the Department of Agriculture.

USDA Quality and Yield Grading Information

The Livestock and Seed Program of the Agricultural Marketing Service is publishing additional Meat Grading and Certification historical quality and yield grade information at this website: http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/MGCGrading.

The quick view charts depict the following information, by species, for quality and yield grades:

• Five year average percentage
• Last Calendar Year percentage
• Year to date percentage

http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/BeefGradePercentageCharts

http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/LambGradePercentageCharts

http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/VealGradePercentageCharts

Additional historical information and graphs concerning USDA grading numbers since 1930 and for the past 20 years, by species, is available at the following site: http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/MGPublications. If further information is needed, please contact Larry Meadows, Chief, Meat Grading & Certification Branch, on 720-497-2550, or by e-mail at larry.meadows@ams.usda.gov.

FSIS-ASK: Certificate of Analysis (COA) or Purchase Specifications

Question: FSIS Directive 12,700.1 notes that "product produced or prepared without inspection coverage is not eligible for donation into human food channels or for sale into pet food or other animal feed channels." Must inedible product, being sold to rendering facilities for pet food production, be picked up within inspection hours?

Answer: No. Inedible product can be removed from the premises outside of inspection hours without inspection personnel present. The cited statement is intended to indicate that product produced without inspection (i.e., outside the approved hours of operation) is ineligible to be sold as is for pet food.

SEMA Member News

Stripling’s celebrated its 45th anniversary on July 25th in Cordele, GA. Everyone attending enjoyed the boxed lunches and giveaways, including a whole roasted pig, $50 gas cards and T-Shirts.

Welcome New SEMA Members

Overseas Casing Co. LLC

601 S. Nevada St.
Seattle, WA 98108
David Mayo, Sales Manager
800.682.6845

Sanitizing Systems LLC

448 Lane Dr.
Florence, AL 35630
Mark Vickery, President
256.443.9623
Mark attended the convention and donated $100 to the Scholarship Fund.
Thanks Mark for your support and participation

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