Ground beef safety in spotlight following news story

NEW YORK — Ground beef processors found themselves in the spotlight on Sunday, Oct. 3, when The New York Times published an article titled "E. coli path shows flaws in beef inspection." The article traced ground beef implicated in the illness and subsequent paralysis of a now 22-year old woman who consumed the product in the fall of 2007 and fell ill.

In the weeks following the article’s publication, officials ranging from the Secretary of Agriculture to the head of the president of the American Meat Institute, commented on the story’s implications and what the government and private industry are doing to ensure the safety of the ground beef supply.

The article also has prompted Senator Kirstin Gillibrand of New York to announce she will propose legislation called the "E. coli eradication act" (see "E. coli eradication act to be unveiled" in this issue).

"We can and should do more to protect the safety of the American people and the story in this weekend’s paper will continue to spur our efforts to reduce the incidence of E. coli O157:H7," said Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack. more

WASHINGTON — Senator Kirsten Gillibrand of New York plans to introduce the "E. coli eradication act," legislation that would require all facilities manufacturing ground beef to test their product "regularly" before it is ground and again before it is combined with other beef or ingredients.

If ground beef is found to be contaminated a company would be required to dispose of the batch or cook it to a temperature that kills the E. coli. Penalties for companies that do not implement the additional testing mechanisms in processing facilities also will be included in the legislation.

The bill is to be introduced soon, according to Ms. Gillibrand’s office.

Responding to the news of pending legislation, J. Patrick Boyle, president and chief executive officer of the American Meat Institute, said if the beef industry could eliminate E. coli O157:H7 in ground beef by passing a bill in Congress, it would have insisted such legislation be enacted years ago.

"Unfortunately, it’s not that easy," he said. more

Food safety training institute launched

BATTLE CREEK, MICH. — Training for state and local food inspectors on a coordinated and career-spanning basis is virtually non-existent. But the National Center for Food Protection, Battle Creek, Mich., is on a mission to change the situation through the International Food Protection Training Institute, an initiative aimed at training food safety professionals at the beginning, middle and leadership levels.

The National Center for Food Protection (N.C.F.P.) was formed this year through a grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. The national center is intended to be a "global food protection resource development and collaboration network" that will focus on technology and education outreach, said Stephan Benoit, president and chief operating officer of the N.C.F.P.

"The institute is the first and in many respects the centerpiece of that initiative and its focus is on delivering career-spanning certified state and local food protection professionals," he said. more