Beef Industry Keeps Pressure On to Find More Answers to E. Coli

Three “Best Practices” documents under development to address further reining in E. coli O157:H7 were key topics as the beef checkoff-supported Beef Industry Food Safety Council (BIFSCo) Executive Committee met last fall. The committee also discussed development of a Food Safety Summit next spring.

The committee reviewed drafts of the Best Practices documents related to Retail, Foodservice and Non-Intact Products areas. When these drafts are completed, all sectors of the beef chain will have Best Practices guides in place. The group also reviewed a draft of the Best Practices for SRM (Specified Risk Material) Removal currently being developed. Each of the documents will be available on BIFSCo Web site at www.bifsco.com.

The BIFSCo is coordinated on behalf of the Cattlemen’s Beef Board and state beef councils by the NCBA.
During their meeting, executive committee members discussed a Food Safety Summit slated for spring 2005 to address research and industry practices implemented since the industry’s E. coli Summit in January 2003. The summit agenda will include development of an updated research plan.

Also featured at the summit will be educational sessions on topics such as antibiotics, hormones, animal identification and organic and grass-fed production techniques. In addition, participants will review a standardized plan for sampling for E. coli O157:H7. The committee assigned a working group to begin developing the protocol for this plan. ©