021210 Focus on Risk in USDA Directive on Listeria TestingDecember 11, 2002Washington - In response to a final Directive issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, containing guidance to government inspectors for Listeria testing in food plants producing certain ready-to-eat meat and poultry products, Dr. Rhona Applebaum, Executive Vice President of the National Food Processors Association (NFPA), made the following comments: "This final Directive is an improvement over USDA's earlier proposal, because of its risk-based approach. The Directive appropriately focuses inspection resources on those ready-to-eat products with the greatest potential to adversely impact public health due to growth of Listeria. "Environmental testing for Listeria species or Listeria-like organisms is a concept that NFPA and the food industry have long supported, and many companies already do extensive in-plant testing to find Listeria. Regardless of who does the testing, findings of Listeria in a plant environment provides important information that can be used to correct potential problems. Such information, however, is not a determination that the plant is producing unsafe products; rather -- when followed by appropriate corrective actions by the firm -- it demonstrates the firm's commitment to finding and eliminating sources of contamination. "As USDA issues and implements this Directive, the Department must not overlook the major training effort its field personnel and those called upon to conduct environmental sampling will require. Proper training will be essential for the new policy to be effective. "NFPA looks forward to working with USDA to ensure that industry programs and government regulatory requirements work jointly to advance and improve food safety." NFPA is the voice of the $500 billion food processing industry on scientific and public policy issues involving food safety, food security, nutrition, technical and regulatory matters and consumer affairs.
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