USDA, Food Safety and Inspection Service, ASD, PCS, Room 2161 South Building, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20250-3700

B -- PATHOGEN REDUCTION INTERVENTIONS AND ANIMAL PRODUCTION FOOD SAFETY PRACTICES SOL FSIS-12-W-97 DUE 041597 POC Contact Point, Claudia Andrews, (202) 720-9891 The Pathogen Reduction and HACCP Regulation of 1996 requires slaughter and processing plants control physical, chemical, and microbial contaminants in meat and poultry products. As firms begin to develop their respective HACCP programs, there will be increased attention given to priority and emerging human pathogens in or on live animals entering plants. The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is interested in supporting a series of pilot demonstration projects which may assist food animal producers, the slaughter and processing industry and the Agency in meeting food safety challenges in a preventive HACCP framework. FSIS seeks to coordinate efforts to demonstrate pre-slaughter practices which 1) reduce contaminants in/on food animals submitted for slaughter, and 2) enhance slaughter establishments' ability to meet pathogen reduction performance standards and institute scientifically sound, risk-based HACCP plans for incoming animals. The are four project/species areas of interest: Pork, Poultry, Non-Fed Beef, and Sheep. PORK: FSIS is interested in funding a pork pilot project survey which uses risk assessment strategies to demonstrate the application, feasibility, and effectiveness of current technologies for estimating risks of pre-slaughter Salmonella levels and whether or not certain levels result in reduced contamination at slaughter. POULTRY: FSIS is interested in funding a poultry project to demonstrate the application, feasibility and effectiveness of current pre-slaughter technologies to reduce the risks of carcass contamination with Salmonella and/or Campylobacter. Taking current research knowledge, a model will be developed and then evaluated in commercial settings over multiple geographic locations and under different climatic conditions. NON-FED BEEF: FSIS is interested in funding a non-fed beef pilot project survey which uses risk assessment strategies to demonstrate the application, feasibility, and effectiveness of current production and pre-slaughter preparation practices for reducing risks of slaughter plant contamination with Salmonella and/or other priority human pathogens, such as E.coli 0157:H7. SHEEP: FSIS is interested in funding a sheep pilot project survey which uses risk assessment strategies to demonstrate the application, feasibility and effectiveness of current production and pre-slaughter preparation practices for reducing risks of pathogens in/on live animals presented to slaughter. Solicitation packages for each project/species area will be available on or about March 14, 1997. All requests for the solicitation package must be in writing and shall include the project/species area of interest. Telephone requests will not be accepted. Requests may be faxed to 202-690-1814. All responsible sources may submit a proposal which will be considered by the Agency. (0056)

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