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FSIS Makes Fundamental Changes in its Residue Screening Methodology
The agency will begin implementing a new method of residue screening no earlier than April 1.
This new method, Screening and Confirmation of Animal Drug Residues by UHPLC-MS-MS (ultra high performance
liquid chromatography - tandem mass spectrometry), will cover multiple veterinary drug classes, including
sulfonamides, anti-inflammatory drugs, beta-agonists and antibiotics, and is applicable to porcine and
bovine kidney.
It replaces the 7-plate bioassay as a screening tool while retaining its use for situations where the 7-plate
bioassay is the official NADA confirmatory method. Some reasons for replacing the tool include: the 7-plate assay
only works for microbial growth-inhibiting residues (certain antibiotics within and among classes); it does not
distinguish one drug from another in the same class; and it is prone to producing microbial inhibition responses
that cannot be identified.
This new multi-residue method provides significant improvements because it can screen for a variety of analytes,
not just antibiotics; it can clearly distinguish individual analytes, even if multiple drugs are present in the
same sample; and microbial inhibition responses that cannot be identified would be eliminated.
This new method is available in the FSIS Chemistry Laboratory Guidebook at www.fsis.usda.gov/PDF/CLG_MRM_1_00.pdf.
NACMCF Seeks Nominations for Members
USDA is seeking applications and nominations for membership to the National Advisory Committee on Microbiological
Criteria for Foods. Membership is encouraged for individuals with scientific expertise in the fields of epidemiology,
food technology, microbiology (food, clinical and predictive), risk assessment, infectious disease, biostatistics
and other related sciences.
Persons from academia, industry, consumer groups, state and federal government, as well as all other interested
persons with such expertise, are invited to submit nominations. Members who are not federal government employees
will be appointed to serve as non-compensated special government employees (SGEs). SGEs will be subject to
appropriate conflict of interest statutes and standards of ethical conduct.
For consideration, submit a resume and USDA Advisory Committee Membership Background Information form AD-755.
The resume or curriculum vitae must be limited to five, one-sided pages and should include educational background,
expertise and a list of select publications. For submissions received that are more than five, one-sided pages in
length, only the first five pages will be reviewed. USDA Advisory Committee Membership Background Information
form AD-755 is available at:
http://www.ocio.usda.gov/forms/doc/AD-755.pdf.
Nomination packages can be mailed to Secretary Tom Vilsack, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1400 Independence Ave.
S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250, Attn: National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods. Nominations
must be received by April 23. Self nominations are also welcome.
For additional information, contact Karen Thomas-Sharp, Advisory Committee Specialist at (202) 690-6620 or
karen.thomas-sharp@fsis.usda.gov.
To read the Federal Register notice, go to
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Frame/FrameRedirect.asp?main=http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OPPDE/rdad/FRPubs/2012-0010.htm.
Export Requirement Updates
The Library of Export Requirements has been updated to reflect changes in export requirements for the following countries:
Complete information can be found at
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Regulations_&_Policies/
Export_Information/index.asp.
FSIS Releases FY 2012 Annual Performance Plan
This week, FSIS released its Fiscal Year 2012 Annual Performance Plan (APP).
The APP provides FSIS employees and interested persons with a clear list of agency priorities and a detailed
roadmap of the steps that will be taken during the current fiscal year to achieve its mission. The document
outlines an operational plan that the agency intends to use as it works to prevent foodborne illness and
protect public health.
The APP, taken from the agency's 2011-2016 Strategic Plan
(www.fsis.usda.gov/About_FSIS/Strategic_Planning/),
is divided into two main sections. The first section showcases the range of FSIS work as it applies to the eight
FSIS Strategic Plan goals. The second section of the APP presents key results that each individual FSIS program
area is working toward achieving in FY 2012 and corresponding actions that they expect to undertake.
To review the APP, visit www.fsis.usda.gov/PDF/
Annual_Performance_Plan_FY2012.pdf.
Codex Public Meeting on Residues of Veterinary Drugs in Food
FSIS and the FDA will hold a public meeting to receive public comments and draft U.S. positions to be discussed
at the 20th Session of the Codex Committee on Residues of Veterinary Drugs in Foods (CCRVDF), which will be held
in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
The public meeting will be held on April 23 from 1 to 4 p.m. ET in the Jamie L. Whitten Bldg., USDA, 1400
Independence Ave., S.W., Rm. 107-A, Washington, D.C. 20250. Documents and agenda items related to the 20th Session
of the CCRVDF will be accessible on the Codex website at www.codexalimentarius.org.
For more information or to submit written comments about the 20th Session of the CCRVDF, contact Kevin Greenlees at (240) 276-8214 or
kevin.greenlees@fda.hhs.gov.
For more information about the public meeting, contact Kenneth Lowery at (202) 690-4042 or
kenneth.lowery@fsis.usda.gov.
Updates on FSIS Testing for E. coli
Weekly updates for the agency's raw beef E. coli sampling program are posted to the FSIS website
For comparative previous and current year results, go to
www.fsis.usda.gov/Science/
Ground_Beef_E.coli_Testing_Results/index.asp.
NACMPI Discusses Modernization of Poultry Slaughter Inspection
The deadline to submit public comments for the "Modernization of Poultry Slaughter Inspection Proposed Rule" is
April 26.
Comments can be submitted through the Federal eRulemaking Portal at www.regulations.gov
or by mail to: USDA, FSIS, OPPD, RIMD, Docket Clearance Unit, Patriots Plaza III, Rm 8-163, Mailstop 3782, 355 E St., S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250.
All submissions must include the agency name and docket number FSIS-2011-0012.
Members of the National Advisory Committee on Meat and Poultry Inspection (NACMPI) met on March 21 to solicit
comments and hear discussion on the proposed rule published in the Federal Register on January 27.
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Last Modified:
April 13, 2012 |
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