USDA proposes new rule to modernise swine inspection

The US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is planning to improve food safety by modernising the inspection systems using science-based approaches.

As part of the initiative, the regulatory authority intends to amend the federal meat inspection regulations and implement a new voluntary inspection system for market hog slaughter businesses called the New Swine Slaughter Inspection System (NSIS).

The authority has also emphasised on collecting extra pathogen sampling for all swine slaughter establishments.

The proposed amendments are expected to provide innovation and flexibility to the establishments that are engaged in slaughtering market hogs.

By implementing the new system, FSIS intends to ensure that the market hogs are healthy and can be slaughtered and processed effectively with enhanced process control.

FSIS Food Safety acting deputy undersecretary Carmen Rottenberg said: “FSIS is excited to continue modernising inspection practices while allowing opportunities for industry to innovate and streamline food production.

“There is no single technology or process to address the problem of foodborne illness, but when we focus our inspections on food safety-related tasks, we better protect American families.”

As per the new proposed rule, the offline inspection tasks carried out by the USDA will be increased for the market hog establishments that adopt the new NSIS system, while continuing 100% FSIS carcass-by-carcass inspection.

The offline inspection tasks will be carried out by the authorities at the production facilities, which is expected to have a direct impact on the food safety.

According to the new proposal, USDA also intends to make changes to the regulations that apply to all establishments that slaughter swine.

As per the new requirement, it will be mandatory for all swine slaughter establishments to incorporate measures in their hazard analysis and critical control point (HACCP) plans, sanitation standard operating procedures (Sanitation SOPs), and other programmes to prevent contamination during the production process.

The new changes will ensure that USDA, as well as swine slaughter establishment, maintains a documentation to verify the effectiveness of these measures on an ongoing basis.

The regulatory authorities will be accepting views and comments for a period of 60 days, once the rule is published in the Federal Register.