ADVANCEMENT OF THE SCIENCE
SPECIAL REPORT
Federal Meat and Poultry Inspection Duties and Requirements—Part 2: The Public Health Inspection System, Marks of Inspection, and Slaughter Inspections
Roger W. Amery, CP-FS
carcass) is to be segregated for veterinary dis- position. Only the products passed by FIs are marked “pass” by the companies. The compa- nies then chill or freeze the products for fur- ther processing. Consumer safety inspectors (CSIs) inspect o the slaughter lines (i.e., “o- line”) either at slaughter plants or at plants that further process products. CSIs review and observe the sanitation and hazard analysis critical control point (HACCP) programs as the companies conduct these activities. In April 2011, FSIS launched a computer- based system called the Public Health Inspec- tion System (PHIS). From this system, CSIs and public health veterinarians (PHVs) can schedule inspection and labeling tasks related to public health for each day at each company. The CSI or PHV document the regulations considered and the inspection results. If there is noncompliance, a noncompliance record is documented on PHIS. Also, memoranda of interviews are documented on PHIS when- ever FSIS inspectors meet with companies for important matters concerning nonregulatory public health or labeling issues. The Public Health Inspection System These data are monitored, consolidated, and analyzed, via PHIS, by the upper levels of FSIS. From these data, companies that have a trend of noncompliances may receive visits from EIAOs to determine if action should be taken against the company (Rules of Practice, 2023). Also, national trends from these data can be observed that might result in policy or regulation changes. Whenever such changes occur, they are downloaded to FSIS inspectors in the form of online direc- tives or notices.
'897&(9 This 4-part series aims to inform environmental health specialists of the duties and requirements for federal meat and poultry inspectors and the companies they regulate. Part 1 provided general attributes of Food Safety and Inspection Service inspection personnel and regulated companies (Amery, 2023). Part 2 covers 1) the computer-based system used to communicate to upper management the results of inspection tasks so that authorities can decide what further action to implement against noncomplying companies, 2) the marks of inspection, and 3) slaughter inspection duties and company responsibilities. The remaining two parts of the series will be presented in subsequent issues.
Introduction and Overview The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) comes under the authority of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). FSIS began with the Meat Inspection Act of June 1906 and has developed through the years into the current public health agency that regulates sanitation, labeling, and food safety requirements at federally inspected meat and poultry producing companies (Animals and Animal Products, 2023). The primary purpose of FSIS is to ensure that regulated companies are producing safe food for con- sumers. If noncompliance is discovered, FSIS inspectors mandate appropriate action. Enforcement investigation and analysis o- cers (EIAOs) conduct assessments of written and conducted procedures to determine if the company procedures are scientifically sound and supportable. These ocers respond to consumer complaints and conduct recall
eectiveness checks at the recalling compa- nies and their consignees. Within FSIS, a computer-based system is used to communicate inspection results to the circuit and higher levels. Stamp brands with edible ink are used to identify the com- panies for which the products have passed inspection. Food inspectors (FIs) on the line at slaughter companies condemn unfit products with “condemn” brands and those condemned products are routed either for pet or zoo food, or for destruction by the slaughter companies. After FSIS inspectors inspect the live ani- mals, companies humanely kill the livestock and prepare the harvested products for inspec- tion by FIs on the slaughter lines. The presum- ably contamination-free products are to be presented in a manner that facilitates inspec- tion. FIs determine what is to be condemned and whether each unit (e.g., head, viscera,
16
$41:2* • :2'*7
Powered by FlippingBook