Release No. 0151.96

                                     Johna Pierce  (202) 720-4623
                                     Jacque Knight (202) 720-9113

USDA APPROVES NEW METHOD FOR REMOVING CONTAMINATION FROM BEEF CARCASSES

     WASHINGTON, March 27, 1996--The U.S. Department of Agriculture today
announced approval of a new high-temperature vacuum technology that beef
slaughter plants can use to remove visible, external contamination from beef
carcasses, according to USDA's Acting Under Secretary for Food Safety Michael
R. Taylor.

     USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service has had a longstanding policy
prohibiting feces or ingesta on inspected and passed beef carcasses, and,
until now, has required that such contamination be physically removed by knife
trimming only.  After a year and a half of test trials, FSIS will now permit
the vacuuming of beef carcasses with hot water or steam as an alternative
method of physically removing visible, external contamination that is less
than one inch in its greatest dimension.

     The vacuum technology has been shown in extensive in-plant trials to be
equally or more effective than knife trimming in removing fecal contamination
and associated bacteria.

     "No single technology is a panacea, but this is just the kind of
innovation we need to improve food safety," said Taylor.

     Other carcass decontamination systems, that may be used on beef
carcasses during the dressing operations, include organic acid treatment,
chlorinated water, trisodium phosphate, and other antimicrobial agents.  While
these other interventions may not be used to remove visible fecal or ingesta
contamination, they may be used in conjunction with knife trimming or
vacuuming with hot water or steam.  They may also be used without prior agency
approval, Taylor said.

     "We encourage the adoption of innovative technology to combat harmful
bacteria in slaughter plants.  Our regulatory reforms are intended to
stimulate and facilitate adoption of technological advances," said Taylor.

     The "zero tolerance" standard for feces, ingesta, and milk does not
permit visual contamination on beef carcasses.  Although trimming has
traditionally been the only removal method permitted, in recent years numerous
other approaches have been devised and studied to assess their potential as
effective alternatives or supplements to carcass trimming to achieve the zero
tolerance standard.

     As a result of the significant scientific data that had become available
regarding alternatives to the trim-only policy for removing physical
contamination, FSIS held a public meeting on Oct. 12-13, 1995, to consider the
issue of the most effective means of removing visible fecal as well as
associated microbial contamination from beef carcasses.

     Seventy-two individuals participated in the two-day meeting, and 12
participants made formal presentations of data about existing technologies or
those on the horizon that have been proving effective in removing fecal,
ingesta, and related microbial contamination from beef carcasses.

     A notice concerning this announcement is scheduled to be published in
the April 4 Federal Register.

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