SEMA_________________________________

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

FOOD SAFETY INSTITUTE OF THE AMERICAS

The Food Safety Institute of the Americas (FSIA), located in Miami, FL, was designed to develop and promote food safety education and training programs throughout the Americas.
U.S. Department of Agriculture Deputy Secretary Jim Moseley and Under Secretary for Food Safety Dr. Elsa Murano, along with other dignitaries attended the grand opening of the FSIA this month. Jim Moseley said, “FSIA will address food safety and public health concerns by establishing and enhancing important networks among regulatory officials, researchers, public health officials, consumers, meat, poultry and egg processors and producers, as well as animal producers”.

The ceremony included the signing of cooperative agreements between USDA, the University of Florida and Miami-Dade College, designed to reflect relationships between the cooperators to carry out educational or special studies programs to improve the safety and security of the food supply in the Americas. The University of Florida and Miami-Dade College are the first institutions to partner with FSIA in this endeavor.

NUTRITION LABELING ON MEAL-TYPE PRODUCTS

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is amending its nutrition labeling regulations to change the definition of “meal-type” products to allow for nutrient content claims on multiple-serve food containers, to adopt the definition of “main dish” used by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and to define how meal-type products and main dishes should be nutrition labeled. The change in the definition of meal –type products will allow nutrient content claims on qualifying products to be based on 100 grams of product rather than on the serving size, which is based on the Reference Amounts Customarily Consumed (RACCs) for the food components. These actions are in response to a petition filed by ConAgra, Inc. (the petitioner). The changes will help to ensure that FSIS nutrition labeling regulations are parallel, to the maximum extent possible, to the nutrition labeling regulations of FDA, which were promulgated under the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act (NLEA) of 1990.

FSIS will now define “meal-type” and “main-dish” products as containing not less than three 40-gram portions of food from at least two of the four food groups, such as bread, fruit, meats and milk. “Meal-type products must weigh at least 10 ounces per serving. “Main-dish” products must weigh at least six ounces per serving.

The final rule will provide consumers of meat and poultry products with consistency in nutrition labeling. This regulation goes into effect November 30, 2004.

FOOD SAFETY NEWS BY E-MAIL

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has set up an e-mail subscription service. This service will give citizens automatic and customized access to selected food safety news and information.

This service allows FSIS customers to sign up for 21 initial subscription options. Options range from recalls, exporting information to regulations, directives and notices.
To subscribe, visit the FSIS Web site at www.fsis.usda.gov.

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The average workplace computer user sends 34 e-mails and receives 99 e-mails everyday.
A 53% increase over last year.
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BEEF CHECKOFF WORKING FOR YOU

The Beef Checkoff Program has made it possible to develop new materials to supplement the Complete Guide to Beef Value Cuts and fund the new Beef Retail Web site.

To meet the needs of beef industry professionals, the Cattlemen’s Beef Board and National Cattlemen’s Beef Association are continually improving the industry standard for information about the fabrication merchandising of new cuts from the chuck and round. The new merchandise materials include laminated cutting instructions featuring photos and directions on how to properly cut steaks and roasts from knuckle and round subprimals.

The new Beef Retail Web site was organized for the busy retail professional. Retailers can now access beef resources and materials they need to improve the success of their meat departments. Accessible on the site is overviews of the Beef Value Cuts program and Hot Foods Deli initiative, along with recipes for your customers.

To access this information visit www.beefretail.org.

AFTER THE STORM

Many businesses will be receiving insurance checks or other financial aid from the hurricanes. With these resources in hand you will be able to rebuild, replenish inventories and/or purchase new equipment. But at this time you may want to reassess the viability of your current business plan. Businesses that were struggling to stay afloat prior to the disasters can avoid rebuilding past mistakes or change for the times. This is a golden opportunity to fix what was broken. This is an ideal time to assess your operation and mix of products and services offered.

CONSUMER’S CHOICE PORK AWARD

The National Pork Board is again sponsoring the Consumer’s Choice Pork Award. This is a contest of retail pork products that are new and innovative, demonstrating the best in taste, convenience and product appeal. For information regarding the contest, call 515.223.2600 or e-mail consumerschoice@porkboard.org.

DOES YOUR PLANT MEASURE UP?

Dripping water, fog formation, steam where you don’t want it…all of these condensation issues can lead to a NR or worse harmful microorganisms in your product. To find out if your plant is at risk, check out the “Eleven Principles of Sanitary Facility Design” at www.meatami.com (go to food safety/inspection). Here you’ll find a list of issues to examine, from the personnel and materials flow within your plant to room temperature, control, humidity control and utility systems for preventing contamination.
Developed to make it simpler for you to reduce food safety hazards in your plant, these principles are the brainwork of American Meat Institute’s (AMI) special Facility Design Task Force. The group presented their recommendations at the AMI convention last month in Nashville.

As a member of this task force, professional engineer and facility design expert Robert Hendon of Hendon & Redmond, Inc. was a featured speaker at the convention. His presentation focused on the basics of controlling water accumulation, room temperature and humidity and room air flow/quality within a facility.

The solution to your condensation problems may be quite easy, says Hendon. “Sometimes the water temperature is too hot,” he states. If the temperature runs higher than approximately 140 degrees, more vapors will form in the air. “Cleanup is just as effective at a lower temperature…so keep it ideally less than 140 degrees.” Of course there may be other reasons for condensation problems so be sure to do a thorough examination of your operations.

In fact, it’s wise to give your plant an appropriate “food safety checkup,” Hendon recommends that you complete a risk analysis of your plant using the Eleven Principles of Sanitary Facility Design. Then, develop a prioritized plan to improve your facility based on these principles. For help compiling your analysis and improvement plan, check www.HendonRedmond.com (see “What’s New”).

Article provided by Jen Redmond of Hendon & Redmond

WASH YOUR HANDS

It’s flu season and one way to prevent the spread of illness is handwashing. More than three-quarters of U.S. workers say they get sick from co-workers. Service Master Clean, janitorial service surveyed 1,000 U.S. office workers and 45% reported seeing co-workers leave the restroom without washing their hands.

The University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension is offering a free poster that promotes handwashing at the workplace. Call 402.441.7180 or go to http://lancaster.unl.edu/food/handwashing.htm.

SMITHFIELD TO BUILD NEW PLANT

Smithfield Packing has plans to construct a state-of-the-art, $85 million ham plant in Kinston, N.C. next year. The plant will manufacture deli hams, sliced deli products and retail and foodservice hams. The plant is scheduled to open in 2006 and produce 75 million pounds.

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71% of U.S. Workers are employed at companies with fewer than 250 employees.
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INDUSTRY ANNOUCEMENTS

Lawrence Starr passed away from pancreatic cancer. Mr. Starr was 72 and the retired chairman and CEO of Koch Equipment LLC.

UPDATE YOUR SEMA FILES

Hendon & Redmond has moved to
10816 Millington Court, Suite 110
Cincinnati, OH 45242
P: 513.641.0320
Fax: 513.641.0057
The new contact person for Hendon & Redmond will be Jennifer Redmond
Jen’s e-mail address is JenRedmond@HendonRedmond.com

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Southeastern Meat Association Board Meeting Radisson Hotel, Augusta, GA Nov. 6

Southeastern Food Processors Association Conference Hilton Hotel, Charleston, S.C. Nov. 4-6

University of Florida HACCP Training course Cabot Lodge, Gainesville, FL Nov. 11 & 12

Chilton Consulting Group Basic HACCP Workshop, Gainesville, GA Nov. 30 & Dec. 1
Advanced HACCP Workshop, Gainesville, GA Dec. 2 & 3

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THINGS TO PONDER………………
The haves and have-nots can often be traced to the dids and did-nots……

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