FSIS Updates for Small Plants – February 7, 2024

Tips for the Label Approval Process: Navigating ‘No Artificial Colors’ Claims and Optimizing Submissions Using the ‘Label Submissions’ Checklist

Labels are currently taking about 2-4 business days to evaluate. 

TIP: Understanding the distinction between the claims “no artificial colors” and “not artificially colored” will facilitate the label approval process.

Color additives fall into two categories: those that are subject to the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) certification process (21 CFR 70.3(f)) and those that are exempt from the certification process. Color additives subject to certification are considered “artificial colors” and are synthetic organic dyes, lakes, or pigments. These color additives require listing by their common and usual name (e.g., FD&C Blue No. 1, Blue 1, or Blue 1 Lake.) The claim “no artificial colors” on meat and poultry labels means that the product does not contain any of these synthetic coloring agents.

TIP: The “Label Submission Checklist” on the FSIS website is a useful resource to help establishments with their label applications.

FSIS is able to evaluate label applications more efficiently when establishments submit accurate and complete applications. By reviewing the “Label Submission Checklist,” establishments can verify that the label meets the applicable mandatory labeling requirements, making it less likely that the label will be returned or need to be modified. The checklist includes questions to consider for each mandatory label feature, as well as the specific meat and poultry regulatory citations for each feature. The checklist also includes questions to consider when completing the label application and identifies common mistakes, such as not sublisting the ingredients of multi-component foods or ingredients (e.g., soy sauce, bread) in the ingredients statement on the label.

The FSIS Label Submission Checklist is available under the “Label Sketch” tab.

FSIS will continue to provide updates regarding label turnaround time, as well as suggestions to assist industry to streamline label submissions in its Constituent Update.

FSIS Posts Quarterly Sampling Data and Quarterly Updates to Establishment-Specific Datasets

FSIS has updated the following quarterly sampling data sets:

  • Quarterly Sampling Results – The quarterly sampling reports were updated to include results through the first quarter of fiscal year (FY) 2024. FSIS calculates prevalence, volume weighted percent positive, or percent positive calculations for microbial pathogens in FSIS regulated products that are currently sampled through existing projects using the prior 12 months of sampling data. This posting includes results for raw beef, raw pork, raw chicken, raw turkey, processed eggs, and ready-to-eat products.
  • Quarterly Sampling Reports on Antimicrobial Resistance Profile – The quarterly sampling reports for Antimicrobial Resistance Profile data were updated to include results through the fourth quarter of FY 2023. This data release includes the sampling projects and pathogens reported under the National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System (NARMS). It also includes the antimicrobial resistance data on the pathogens Salmonella, Campylobacter, Enterococcus, Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC), including E. coli O157:H7, isolate counts and resistance profile by FSIS product and cecal categories.
  • Quarterly Sampling Reports for Salmonella Serotype Information – The quarterly sampling reports for Salmonella serotype information were updated to include results through the fourth quarter of FY 2023. This post includes quarterly Salmonella serotype data for Salmonella isolates collected from FSIS product categories.
  • Quarterly U.S. National Residue Sampling Report – The residue sampling data is available for the first quarter FY 2024. The report will cover domestic (scheduled and inspector-generated) and import sampling programs.

FSIS publicly posted quarterly updates to the following establishment-specific datasets:

Establishment-specific Datasets on Laboratory Sampling

  • Egg Product Sampling Data
  • Raw Beef Sampling Data
  • Raw Pork Products Sampling Data
  • Raw Poultry Sampling Data
  • Intensified Verification Testing Data
  • Ready-to-Eat (RTE) Meat and Poultry Sampling Data
  • Risk-based Listeria monocytogenes Sampling Data

Establishment-specific Datasets on Inspection Tasks

  • Livestock Humane Handling Inspection Tasks
  • Poultry Good Commercial Practices Inspection Tasks

Note: Individual results become available to establishments in the Public Health Information System (PHIS) at least six weeks before their public posting. If your establishment doesn’t have access to PHIS yet, we encourage you to create an account by following the steps on the PHIS Access Guide. For more information, visit our PHIS guidance.

FSIS Posts Updated Quarterly Humane Handling Datasets

On January 24, FSIS updated the quarterly humane handling inspection datasets on its website. The datasets include: (1) the number of administrative enforcement actions taken; (2) the number of humane handling verification tasks performed; (3) the number of humane handling verification tasks that resulted in a noncompliance record (NR); and (4) the number of hours spent observing and verifying the humane treatment of livestock. This posting contains the most recent four quarters of data by district, HACCP size, and quarter.

FSIS Publishes Notice to Resume Cecal Sampling in Sheep and Lamb

FSIS announced the resumption of cecal sampling in sheep and lamb on February 1, 2024. During 2020–2022, FSIS collected and analyzed cecal samples from sheep and lamb as part of exploratory sampling. During 2024, FSIS is collaborating with USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and using a One Health approach to better understand antimicrobial resistance in sheep and lamb at different sampling points – production, slaughter, and retail locations.

In addition to FSIS cecal sampling, APHIS will collect fecal samples during sheep and lamb production. FDA will collect product samples at retail. Salmonella, Campylobacter and generic E. coli isolated from all samples will be characterized for antimicrobial resistance. Through this and other One Health collaborations, FSIS and its partners intend to obtain insight to further advances in health in animals and people.

FSIS Posts Individual Category Status and Aggregate Results for Poultry Carcasses, Chicken Parts, and Comminuted Poultry Tested for Salmonella

On January 19, 2024, FSIS updated the individual establishment Salmonella performance standard category information for raw poultry carcasses, raw chicken parts, and comminuted poultry products on the Salmonella Verification Testing Program Monthly Posting page of the FSIS website. Additionally, FSIS posted the aggregate sampling results showing the number of establishments in categories 1, 2, or 3 for establishments producing young poultry carcasses, raw chicken parts, or not ready-to-eat (NRTE) comminuted poultry products at the location linked above.

PHIS Q&A

Access: I used PHIS yesterday but not able to access it today, what should I do?

Answer: Try clearing your browser cache by following the instructions below. If that doesn’t resolve the problem, please call 1 (800) 473-9135 or emailing [email protected].

In Chrome:

  1. In the upper right corner select the three dots to open the Chrome menu
  2. Select Settings
  3. In Privacy and Security find Clear Browsing Data
  4. Change the time range to all time and remove the check from Browsing History (Cookies and Cached are still checked)
  5. Select the button for Clear Data
  6. Close the settings tab and retry the reported issue

In Microsoft Edge:

  1. Similar to Chrome, select the three dots
  2. Select Privacy and Security
  3. Select Clear browsing data
  4. Choose what to clear, “Cache and Cookies”
  5. Select Clear

Visit PHIS Help for Industry for additional resources.

Knowledge Article

askFSIS Public Q&A: What can be done if the export documents are lost?

If the documents are thought to be lost, the exporter should make every effort to locate them before contacting FSIS.  A replacement certificate can be issued, under normal circumstances, if the exporter states in a letter that the certificate is, in fact, lost (a description of the circumstances is appropriate), and that if found, it will be returned to the issuing FSIS official.  If IPP believe that the lost certificates are a result of fraud, they should communicate this suspected activity through the supervisory chain of command.  The process for issuing a replacement certificate, as described in FSIS Directive 9000.1, Rev. 2, should be followed.  If the lost certificate is found after issuance of the replacement, it should be voided and rendered unusable by FSIS.

Questions? Please submit them through askFSIS by filling out the web form on the FSIS website.

Visit AskUSDA.gov and include “askFSIS” in your search terms for more knowledge articles on this and other topics.