I. PURPOSE

          A. This directive provides guidelines for verifying proper application of mandatory safe handling statements to raw and partially cooked meat and poultry products. There are two effective dates that apply to the implementation of mandatory safe handling instructions. Effective May 27, 1994, all ground and/or comminuted raw and partially cooked meat and poultry product labeling must contain safe handling instructions; all other raw and partially cooked meat and poultry products must contain safe handling instructions effective July 6, 1994.

          B. This directive also provides two attachments. Attachment 1 is a description of the ISG task for monitoring mandatory safe handling statements in establishments under PBIS. Attachment 2 contains questions and answers relating to the safe handling regulation.

II. CANCELLATION

FSIS Directive 7235.1, dated 12/9/87.

III. REASON FOR REISSUANCE

To provide guidelines that are consistent with new regulations that require the labeling of all raw and partially cooked meat and poultry products to contain safe handling statements.

IV. REFERENCES

MPI Regulations, Sections 317.2, 317.5, 381.125, and 381.134
FSIS Directive 7239.4, Rev. 1, dated 3/2/88
FSIS Directive 8820.1, Rev. 1, dated 3/1/91

V. ABBREVIATIONS AND FORM

For purposes of this directive, the following abbreviations and form will be used:

FSIS Form 7234-1, Application for Approval of Labels, Marking or Device, dated 11/87

VI. POLICY

          A. Sections 317.2 and 381.125 of the MPI Regulations require specific safe handling instructions to be provided on the labeling of all meat and meat products of cattle, swine, sheep, goat, or equine, and poultry products that have not undergone further processing that would render them as ready-to-eat and that are destined for household consumers, hotels, restaurants, or similar institutions. The following products do not require safe handling instructions:

                  1. Products intended for further processing at another inspected establishment;

                  2. Combination products of meat or poultry with other commodities in which the meat or poultry is ready-to-eat but the final product is not ready-to-eat (e.g., a frozen entree dinner consisting of fully-cooked poultry and raw peas and potatoes); and

                  3. Raw products destined for export only.

          B. Safe handling instructions shall be generically approved as prescribed by Sections 317.5 and 381.134 of the MPI Regulations. The establishment shall provide the IIC with a copy of the label with the safe handling instructions prior to its use, as specified in Paragraph VII. A. 2. Due to the expected large number of labels affected, establishments may provide the IIC with pressure-sensitive labels on FSIS Form 7234-1, accompanied by a list of all applicable product names and the corresponding prior label approval numbers.

VII. RESPONSIBILITIES

          A. Establishment Responsibilities:

                  1. Ensuring that product and/or shipping containers are in compliance with the safe handling instruction regulation, and

           2. Providing the IIC copies of the generically approved labeling containing safe handling instructions prior to their use.

          B. Inspector Responsibilities: Verifying that ground and/or comminuted raw and partially cooked meat and poultry products packaged on or after May 27, 1994, and all other raw and partially cooked meat and poultry products packaged on or after July 6, 1994, have the instructions physically applied to the label and comply with the safe handling instruction regulations prescribed in Sections 317.2 and 381.125 of the MPI Regulations as follows:

                  1. The frequency for verifying labeling compliance shall be directed by normal inspection policy. However, inspection assignments under PBIS shall verify and document establishment conformance with the safe handling regulation when ISG task 07B06a2, Attachment 1, appears on the inspector assignment schedule. As with all tasks in PBIS, an inspector may perform this task as an unscheduled task if there is a suspicion of nonconformance or during unscheduled time. Monitoring under PBIS will be as follows:

                          a. Inspectors shall monitor establishment compliance using the inspection task description which is a summary statement of the regulation. Corrective and preventive actions are to be taken by the establishment when necessary.
                          b. If noncompliance occurs, the inspector shall document the deficiency on a Process Deficiency Record, classify the deficiency as a "major," and determine if official control action is warranted. A standard classification of the deficiency as major is appropriate because of past practice with classification of prior approved labeling. (See Paragraph VIII. A. 4. of FSIS Directive 8820.1, Rev. 1, Corrective Action System.) Also, the new safe handling regulation is intended to provide additional safeguards to protect consumers from exposure to possible bacterial contaminants found in raw meat and poultry products.

                          c. Inspectors shall use their judgment, based upon the circumstances, in tagging and retaining noncomplying product.

                  2. Compliance shall be determined on finished product only (i.e., labeled product in a shipping container or product in a labeled shipping container).

Any questions regarding this directive should be referred to the next level of supervision.


Deputy Administrator
Inspection Operations

Attachments
          1 -- ISG Task
          2 -- Questions and Answers - Safe Handling Statements

ATTACHMENT 1

07B Labeling

MANDATORY SAFE HANDLING INSTRUCTION STATEMENT TASK

Task Code 80-Character Task Description

07B06a2 Check one or more samples of different product labels to determine if approved/correct/properly used