FACT SHEET: The Multiple Measures Protecting Beef Safety

Meat Inspection Mandate

The Federal Meat Inspection Act of 1906 and the many regulations, notices and directives that followed make the meat and poultry industries among the most regulated.

• Under the act, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) inspects all raw meat sold and is responsible for assuring the nation’s supply of meat, poultry and egg products is safe and wholesome.

Inspectors

USDA has continuous presence at all federally inspected slaughter facilities. FSIS inspection personnel are stationed at various points throughout the slaughter and processing operation.

• There are 7,800 inspection personnel that provide inspection to more than 6,200 federally inspected establishments. Of these federally inspected establishments, approximately 900 slaughter livestock. The number of inspectors per establishment is based on multiple criteria, including facility production capacity.

Multiple Safeguards

FSIS implements a series of safeguards to protect against foodborne disease and illness. Veterinary inspectors check all livestock visually before slaughter, examining more than 100 million food animals each year.

Ante-mortem (live-animal) inspection: Public Health Veterinarians must examine and inspect all livestock before they are allowed to enter any slaughtering or packing facility. Inspectors also must randomly return to the area to observe humane handling activities other times throughout each production shift.

• During inspection, animals showing symptoms of disease are classified as suspect and must be segregated and subject to additional post-mortem scrutiny. 
• USDA prohibits all animals that are unable to walk at initial ante-mortem inspection from entering the human food supply. If an animal passes ante-mortem inspection and then becomes non-ambulatory, it is classified as suspect and subject to additional post-mortem scrutiny.

Post-mortem inspection: FSIS inspectors are responsible for conducting a thorough examination of every slaughtered animal, including the lymph nodes, organs and entire carcass to identify any signs of disease or unwholesome condition. The post-mortem inspection allows inspectors to further evaluate the carcass and tissues from any animal found to be suspect during ante-mortem inspection.

• If any carcass or its parts are identified as diseased or unwholesome, they are condemned and prevented from entering the food supply. 
• FSIS line inspectors are stationed at designated points along the production line where they directly observe proper processing procedures that ensure safety, including removal of visible contamination and removal of any tissues that could potentially carry bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE or “mad cow” disease).

Product inspection: The inspection system continues throughout the entire processing segment of the industry, including careful examination of both raw and fully cooked products. Processing inspectors are responsible for processed meat products and all other ingredients contained in the finished product.

Additional Safety Measures

Additional safety interventions: Following are descriptions of methods that are currently used to reduce bacterial contamination on beef (nearly 100 percent of beef packing plants use one or more of these safety interventions).

• Hide washes remove external contaminates from cattle (like mud). This step can decrease bacteria on the hide and the chance of it transferring to the carcass surface.
• Hand-held steam vacuums loosen soil and remove bacteria and visible contamination on beef carcasses. 
• Spray-washing beef carcasses with water that is 165 degrees F or higher (thermal decontamination) also reduces bacterial counts and provides consistent results.
• Organic acid sprays and final carcass trim are additional safety interventions commonly used prior to carcass chilling.

Experts Say Beef is Safe

Scientists, government officials and school nutrition experts agree that the United States enjoys one of the safest food supplies in the world:

“To help ensure the safety of the food supply, we implement a series of safeguards to protect against foodborne disease.” – Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer

“Generally speaking, our food supply is one of the safest in the world and I think we have to keep things in perspective.” – Marsha Metzger, Nutrition Director for the Ft. Wayne Community School District

“This recall is designated as Class II due to the remote probability that the beef being recalled would cause adverse health effects if consumed.” – FSIS

Provided by The Beef Checkoff
For more info, contact the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association at info@BeefFromPastureToPlate.org

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