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This page provides a text alternative
for an article in the Winter/Spring
2007 issue (PDF Only, 5.4MB).
OFFICE OF FOOD SAFETY
Under Secretary USDA
Protecting Public Health With Risk-Based Inspection
Protecting public health is not only more than a nine-to-five job, it's also about constantly re-
evaluating and improving our systems to ensure the lowest probable risks to the public. The Office of
Food Safety and FSIS are moving forward to update our inspection system to assure the public that the
meat, poultry and egg products they buy - in a store or restaurant - have the lowest risk possible
from deadly bacteria or other contaminants.
We use a risk-based approach, taking action on the highest risk procedures or products that are more
likely to jeopardize public health. We need to enhance our system to give ourselves the ability to
anticipate and quickly respond to food safety challenges before they negatively affect consumers.
We don't want to wait for something to happen. We need to work proactively. With continued input
from our employees and consumer and industry partners, we are making this system even more robust.
Let me provide an illustration of where we are heading.
Our inspector must visit three food processing plants in one day. First, the inspector stops at Plant A,
which produces ground poultry products. By their nature, these products have a higher risk than other
products for carrying harmful bacteria. This is especially true if the establishment has a poor record
on cleanliness. Plant A has been warned that it will lose its grant of inspection unless it shapes up.
Next, our inspector goes to Plant B, which also produces ground poultry. However, this plant is
practically spic-and-span. From top management to line employees, it's evident that everyone is
dedicated to safety. We have had relatively few issues with this plant over the years.
Finally, our inspector visits Plant C, which has an equally clean record as Plant B. Not only that,
it produces a much lower-risk product than ground poultry - cooked, canned hams.
Our current system is set up where our inspector spends roughly an equal amount of time at each plant,
every day, regardless of the level of risk each one presents to public health. It makes better sense
for our inspector to spend more time in the highest risk plant with the highest risk product, as
determined by science-based data and public input.
Of course we're still going to inspect each plant daily, but within any given day, some plants will
need a closer, longer look than others. We're working to make that happen.
Our efforts are not about decreasing the size of our inspection force and are not about saving money -
neither happens under this plan. It is about improving the safety of the meat and poultry products we
have responsibility for. It's about spending the time we do have in a smarter way - more time in
plants that need us the most. Ultimately, it's about lowering the risk to public health.
//signed//
RICHARD A. RAYMOND, M.D.
Under Secretary Office of Food Safety
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Last Modified: April 16, 2007 |
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