[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 171 (Wednesday, September 6, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42059-42061]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-18847]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food Safety and Inspection Service

[Docket No. FSIS-2017-0028]


Availability of FSIS Compliance Guideline for Minimizing the Risk 
of Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia Coli (STEC) and Salmonella in Raw 
Beef (Including Veal) Processing Operations

AGENCY: Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of availability and request for comment.

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SUMMARY: The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is announcing 
the availability of and requesting comments on the updated compliance 
guideline for small and very small businesses on reducing STEC and 
Salmonella in beef and veal operations.
    The new guideline will assist small and very small beef (including 
veal) processing establishments understand and comply with the 
regulatory requirements associated with controlling STEC and Salmonella 
in raw non-intact beef products and beef products intended for non-
intact use. The guideline also includes information for establishments 
and retail stores on developing and maintaining records associated with 
the production of ground beef.

DATES: Submit Comments on or before November 6, 2017.

ADDRESSES: A downloadable version of the compliance guideline is 
available to view and print at https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/regulatory-compliance/compliance-guides-index once copies 
of the guideline have been published.
    FSIS invites interested persons to submit comments on this 
guidance. Comments may be submitted by one of the following methods:
    Federal eRulemaking Portal: This Web site provides the ability to 
type short comments directly into the comment field on this Web page or 
attach a file for lengthier comments. Go to http://www.regulations.gov/. Follow the on-line instructions at that site for 
submitting comments.

[[Page 42060]]

    Mail, including CD-ROMs: Send to Docket Clerk, U.S. Department of 
Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service, Patriots Plaza 3, 1400 
Independence Avenue SW., Mailstop 3782, Room 8-163B, Washington, DC 
20250-3700.
    Hand- or courier-delivered submittals: Deliver to Patriots Plaza 3, 
355 E Street SW., Room 8-163A, Washington, DC 20250-3700.
    Instructions: All items submitted by mail or electronic mail must 
include the Agency name, FSIS, and document title: FSIS Compliance 
Guideline for Minimizing the Risk of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia 
coli (STEC) and Salmonella in Raw Beef (including Veal) Processing 
Operations 2017. Comments received will be made available to the public 
and posted without change, including any personal information, at 
http://www.regulations.gov.
    Docket: For access to background documents or to comments received, 
go to the FSIS Docket Room at Patriots Plaza 3, 355 E Street SW., Room 
164-A, Washington, DC 20250-3700 between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., 
Monday through Friday.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Roberta Wagner, Assistant 
Administrator, Office of Policy and Program Development; Telephone: 
(202) 205-0495.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    STEC and Salmonella are pathogens that are associated with 
foodborne illness from consumption of non-intact beef products (e.g., 
ground beef, mechanically tenderized steaks). Although the percent 
positive rates of STEC and Salmonella have decreased, outbreaks and 
illnesses continue to occur from these products (https://www.cdc.gov/ecoli/2016-outbreaks.html).
    Raw non-intact beef products present a significant public health 
risk because they are frequently consumed after preparation (e.g., 
cooking hamburger to a rare or medium rare state) that does not destroy 
STEC that has been introduced below the product's surface. Given the 
low infectious dose of STEC associated with foodborne disease outbreaks 
and the very severe consequences of an STEC infection, including 
serious, life-threatening human illnesses (hemorrhagic colitis and 
hemolytic uremic syndrome), raw non-intact beef products and those beef 
products intended for non-intact use are adulterated within the meaning 
of the Federal Meat Inspection Act when contaminated with STEC unless 
further processed to destroy this pathogen (64 FR 2803). Salmonella 
does not present the same severe health consequences as STEC, and FSIS 
does not have a zero tolerance for Salmonella in raw non-intact beef 
products. However, because STEC and Salmonella are hazards that have 
historically occurred in the production of non-intact beef products, 
establishments that produce these products or products intended for 
non-intact use must conduct a hazard analysis and determine if these 
pathogens need to be addressed by its Hazard Analysis and Critical 
Control Point (HACCP) system. FSIS is making available the updated 
compliance guideline to assist establishments that produce raw non-
intact beef products in designing a HACCP system to prevent, control, 
and reduce STEC and Salmonella to acceptable levels in these products.
    The guideline helps establishments understand the adulterant status 
of STEC in beef products, how the product's intended use impacts the 
hazard analysis, and to develop ongoing verification measures to 
demonstrate that the HACCP system is functioning as intended to reduce 
STEC to below detectable levels. In addition, the guideline provides 
updated information for establishments responding to STEC positive 
results to strengthen their food safety systems so that additional 
positive results do not occur in the product. While the guideline 
focuses primarily on STEC policy, the procedures described in this 
document to reduce STEC will also assist establishments in reducing 
Salmonella.
    FSIS is also providing information in the updated guidance to 
assist federal establishments and retail facilities to develop and 
maintain grinding records as required by the final rule, Records To Be 
Kept By Official Establishments and Retail Stores That May Grind Raw 
Beef Products (80 FR 79231).
    This guideline incorporates all of the above policy updates and 
includes the most current Agency thinking, and combines and replaces 
information from the following previously issued guidance documents:
    (1) Draft Guidance for Small and Very Small Establishments on 
Sampling Beef Products for Escherichia coli O157:H7 (August 12, 2008); 
and
    (2) Sanitation Guidance for Beef Grinders (January 2012).
    The target audiences for this compliance guideline are small and 
very small establishments in support of the Small Business 
Administration's initiative to provide such establishments with 
compliance assistance under the Small Business Regulatory Flexibility 
Act (SBRFA). However, all FSIS regulated beef establishments may be 
able to apply the recommendations in this guideline.

Additional Public Notification

    Public awareness of all segments of rulemaking and policy 
development is important. Consequently, FSIS will announce this Federal 
Register publication on-line through the FSIS Web page located at: 
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/federal-register.
    FSIS also will make this publication available through the FSIS 
Constituent Update, which is used to provide information regarding FSIS 
policies, procedures, regulations, Federal Register notices, FSIS 
public meetings, and other types of information that could affect or 
would be of interest to our constituents and stakeholders. The 
Constituent Update is available on the FSIS Web page. Through the Web 
page, FSIS is able to provide information to a much broader, more 
diverse audience. In addition, FSIS offers an email subscription 
service which provides automatic and customized access to selected food 
safety news and information. This service is available at: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/subscribe. Options range from recalls to export 
information, regulations, directives, and notices. Customers can add or 
delete subscriptions themselves, and have the option to password 
protect their accounts.

USDA Non-Discrimination Statement

    No agency, officer, or employee of the USDA shall, on the grounds 
of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual 
orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, 
income derived from a public assistance program, or political beliefs, 
exclude from participation in, deny the benefits of, or subject to 
discrimination any person in the United States under any program or 
activity conducted by the USDA.

How To File a Complaint of Discrimination

    To file a complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program 
Discrimination Complaint Form, which may be accessed online at http://www.ocio.usda.gov/sites/default/files/docs/2012/Complain_combined_6_8_12.pdf, or write a letter signed by you or your 
authorized representative.
    Send your completed complaint form or letter to USDA by mail, fax, 
or email:
    Mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Director, Office of 
Adjudication, 1400 Independence Avenue SW.,

[[Page 42061]]

Washington, DC 20250-9410, Fax: (202) 690-7442, Email: 
[email protected].
    Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for 
communication (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.), should contact 
USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD).

    Done, at Washington, DC, August 31, 2017.
Paul Kiecker,
Acting Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2017-18847 Filed 9-5-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3410-DM-P