ARS | Publication request: THE ROLE OF MICROBIOLOGY TESTING IN HACCP

Submitted to: Reuniao Anual Da Sociedade Brasileira De Zootechnia Proceedings
Publication Type: Review Article
Publication Acceptance Date: October 15, 1999
Publication Date: N/A

Technical Abstract: The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) published "The Final Rule of Pathogen Reduction and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) Systems" in July of 1996. By definition, HACCP is designed to be preventative, to identify critical control points and to implement procedures to control, monitor and verify the success of the system. The FSIS mandated HACCP system has two principal microbiological testing components. First, performance standards for Salmonella have been set that all slaughter plants producing raw, ground meat and poultry will have to meet. Also, each slaughter plant is required to conduct microbial testing for generic E. coli to verify that their process control systems are working as intended to prevent fecal contamination. Sampling plans and microbiological testing currently being used by FSIS and the poultry industry will be reviewed and critiqued. Additionally, the relationship between generic E. coli, Salmonella, and fecal contamination and their relationship to process control will be examined. Finally, the possibility of future changes in sampling plans and microbiological techniques on the improved efficiency of HACCP will be discussed.