USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced a new measure that will improve the agency’s ability to determine the source of foodborne illnesses linked to ground beef, stopping foodborne illness outbreaks sooner when they occur. Based on lessons learned from previous outbreak investigations, FSIS is requiring that all makers of raw ground beef products keep adequate records of the source material, so that the agency can quickly work with the suppliers to recall contaminated product.
According to FSIS outbreak investigations are hindered when stores produce ground beef by mixing product from various sources, but fail to keep clear records that would allow investigators to determine the supplier of the tainted product. FSIS says the new requirement complements expedited traceback and traceforward procedures announced in August 2014 that enhance the agency’s ability to quickly and broadly investigate food safety breakdowns in the event of an outbreak connected to ground beef.