Control of Listeria monocytogenes in Ready-to-Eat Meat and Poultry Products

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is affirming, with changes and a request for comment, the interim final rule "Control of Listeria monocytogenes in Ready-to-Eat Meat and Poultry Products," which was published in the Federal Register on June 6, 2003. FSIS is making minor changes to the regulatory provisions in response to comments that the Agency received, on the basis of experience in implementing the provisions, and because the way FSIS obtains establishment profile information electronically has changed. FSIS is clarifying in the regulations that establishments may not release into commerce product that has been in contact with Listeria monocytogenes (Lm)-contaminated surfaces without reprocessing the product. In addition, FSIS is removing the requirement for establishments to report production volume and related information to FSIS because the Agency now routinely collects this information through its Public Health Information System (PHIS).