SEMA_________________________________

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

MARCH 2007

VOLUME 22, No. 3

RISK BASED INSPECTION

The new Risk Based Inspection (RBI) will put less inspection in some establishments and more in others, but all establishments will continue to have daily inspection. The risk level will be determined by two factors: product inherent risk (PIR) and establishment risk control (ERC). The two factors will determine the establishment’s inspection level. The new policy will result in fewer inspections of plants that are low risk and do a better job recording and handling of products. To start, the new system will be used in processing plants, excluding slaughter plants for now. The timeline for implementation of RBI is:

  • April 2007: 30 prototype locations begin RBI (250 plants)
  • September 2007: possible expansion of RBI
  • January 2008: up to 150 prototype locations
  • June 2008: all plants under RBI Inspection

FSIS REGULATORY EDUCATION SESSION

FSIS will be holding a regulatory education session Tuesday, March 6th in Columbia, SC. It will be held at the Ramada Columbia Northeast, Columbia SC. The session will cover a regulatory walk-through of sanitation standard operating procedures and the hazard analysis and critical control point and rules of practice regulations. This session is free but registration is required. To register, call 800.336.3747.

INSURANCE, CAN’T SURVIVE WITHOUT IT

The outbreaks of E. coli have triggered a new demand for product recall coverage. Most times anybody that touches the food anywhere on the supply chain will be sued and at the very least, have to pay for their defenses even if they are not found liable.

The commercial general liability insurance and/or product liability coverage provides for the person injured by ingesting the tainted food. It could cover third parties i.e. distributors, stores, etc. These same policies often exclude third-party recall and contamination liability. Bill Harrison, a managing director of AON’s Crisis management practice, cities this as “one of the greatest risks that is largely uninsured by the food industry”. A misunderstanding of this exposure can be devastating to food manufacturers, processors, distributors, stores or restaurants. Accidental contamination or malicious product tampering according to adviser FPN can trigger product recall insurance. All companies in the food industry are faced with the danger of someone tampering with the product or product extortion, which occurs when someone threatens to tamper with a product.

All food industry companies should examine their approach to insuring or self-insuring this catastrophic exposure. Coverage is available in limits up to $200,000,000.

Provided by SEMA member, American Risk Management Clyde Hampton

FOOD SAFETY RESOURCE BROCHURES

FSIS has mailed its Food Safety Resource brochure as part of its outreach program to provide small and very small plants with the latest and most comprehensive information on food borne hazards, up-to-date procedures and proven technologies. Offered at no charge, FSIS Generic HACCP models: guidance documents and FSIS workshop materials (workbooks and CDs) on Listeria monocytogenes, E.Coli O157:H7 and food defense. The brochure is available at www.fsis.usda.gov/PDF/HACCP_Resources_Brochure_Apr2006.pdf.

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Food for thought: The first product to have a bar code………Wrigley’s gum
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DATA LOGGERS

With the new release of FSIS Directive 12,600.1, revision 1, amendment 1, data loggers (a device that can be used to store data) have become a necessity. Data loggers are small and sometimes offered as part of a smokehouse microprocessor, but can be used with any thermal processing or cooling equipment. The equipment that is required usually consists of a computer, printer, data logger, probe and data logger software. The data loggers are typically housed in a shock-resistant, waterproof case to withstand rugged and wet environments. Temperature data loggers are a real-time data recording system that is a stand-alone device that can monitor and store temperatures throughout the cooking and cooling process. The recorded information includes input data points throughout the processing chain.

Data loggers provide an unbiased record of thermal processing and cooling. They alleviate overtime charges as they relate to cooking and cooling after regular inspection hours.

Information provided by AAMP

SEMA INDUSTRY NEWS

If your company has something they would like to share or information to update please send it in to the SEMA office and we will post it. For example: a new salesperson, personnel promotions, expanding your company, etc.

Hinson’s Georgia Market - welcome back to SEMA. In October 2006 the Hinson family's Ratchford’s Market burned to the ground. The family struggled mentally, financially and emotionally after the fire as to getting back in business or not. Ratchford’s processed fresh sausage based on a recipe that dated back to a great-grandfather. The Hinson family is back with their great family recipes, operating under the new name of Hinson’s Georgia Market.

American Association of Meat Processors (AAMP) now has available a Crisis Management & Security Training Manual. While the guidelines developed by government agencies are voluntary, it is vital that all food businesses take steps to ensure the security of their operations.

SEMA is an AAMP Affiliate member, allowing SEMA processing members to purchase the manual at the AAMP member rate of $35.00. To order a copy, call the AAMP office 717.367.1168.

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THINGS TO PONDER………………
Fixing mistakes. . . . . . . . .
Should you find yourself in a chronically leaking boat,
energy devoted to changing vessels is likely to be more productive
than energy devoted to patching leaks.
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WELCOME NEW SEMA MEMBERS

Processing Member
ROCKET CITY MEATS & SEAFOOD
2203 Meridian St. N.
Huntsville, AL 35811
256.533.9744
Bill Phillips

Associate Member
VC999 PACKAGING SYSTEMS
419 E. 11th Ave.
Kansas City, MO 64116
816.472.8999
Jim Wright
Referred by: Harry Wampler

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Southeastern Meat Association Annual Convention
407.365.5661 or info@southeasternmeat.com

The Shores Resort & Spa
Daytona Beach, FL

June 8-9

HACCP Workshop
352.392.7528 Dr. Alex Stelzleni or Larry Eubanks

University of Florida
Gainesville, FL

March 15-16

North American Meat Processors Association, Listeria Workshop: Controlling L. m. in RTE processing environment & on products - 703.758.1900 Chicago, IL

March 22

North American Meat Processors Association Management Conference 703.758.1900 Chicago, IL

March 23-25

Meat & Poultry HACCP Workshop
706.542.2574 or marianw@uga.edu

University of Georgia
Athens, GA

April 3-4

North Carolina Meat Processors, Inc. Annual Convention 828.465.4900
Atlantic Beach, NC Sheraton Atlantic Beach Hotel

July 12-15

American Association of Meat Processors Annual Convention 717.367.1168
Milwaukee, Wisconsin

July 12-14

Chilton Consulting Group Basic HACCP Workshop
706.694.8325

Orlando, FL

June 12-13

Chilton Consulting Group Basic HACCP Workshop
706.694.8325

Gainesville, GA

July 23-24

Chilton Consulting Group Advanced HACCP Workshop
706.694.8325

Gainesville, GA

July 25-26

Chilton Consulting Group Food Safety
Regulatory Essentials & Update 706.694.8325

Gainesville, GA

July 27

Companies that invest in employee learning have higher productivity, revenue growth,
and profit growth than companies that do not.