Requirements for Official Establishments To Notify FSIS of Adulterated or Misbranded Product, Prepare and Maintain Written Recall Procedures, and Document Certain Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points System Plan Reassessments
DATES: Effective Date: May 8, 2012.
SUMMARY: The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is implementing provisions of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 by amending the Federal meat and poultry products inspection regulations to require official establishments to promptly notify the appropriate District Office that an adulterated or misbranded meat or poultry product has entered commerce; require official establishments to prepare and maintain written procedures for the recall of all meat and poultry products produced and shipped by the establishment; and require official establishments to document each reassessment of the establishment’s Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) plans.
ABSTRACT: Under this final rule, FSIS is requiring three information collection activities. First, FSIS requires that official establishments notify the appropriate District Office that an adulterated or misbranded product received by or originating from the establishment has entered commerce, if the establishment believes or has reason to believe that this has happened. FSIS is requiring that this notification occur as quickly as possible, but within 24 hours of the establishment learning or determining that an adulterated or misbranded product received by or originating from it has entered commerce. Second, FSIS is requiring that establishments prepare and maintain written procedures for the recall of meat and poultry products produced and shipped by the establishment for use should it become necessary for the establishment to remove product from commerce. These written recall procedures have to specify how the establishment will decide whether to conduct a product recall and how the establishment will affect the recall, should it decide that one is necessary. Finally, FSIS is requiring that establishments document each reassessment of the establishment’s HACCP plans. FSIS requires establishments to reassess their HACCP plans annually and whenever any changes occur that could affect the hazard analysis or alter the HACCP plan. Under this rule, establishments must document each reassessment, the reasons for any changes to the HACCP plan, or the reasons for not changing the
HACCP plan. For annual reassessments, if the establishment determines that no changes are necessary, documentation of this determination is not necessary.
The recall procedures and reassessment documentation will have to be made available for official review and copying.
To learn more: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/