U.S. officials expand E. coli protections

WASHINGTON, Oct. 23 (UPI) -- The U.S. Food Safety and Inspection Service announced new programs involving expanded testing and more rapid recalls to protect against E. coli infections.

"We want the American consumer to know that FSIS has taken a number of aggressive actions to respond to a recent increase in E. coli O157:H7 recalls and illnesses associated with this pathogen and we are further expanding these efforts," said United States Department of Agriculture Under Secretary for Food Safety Dr. Richard Raymond.

Included in the initiatives announced Tuesday are testing of raw beef products earlier in the production chain and requiring all beef plants to verify they are effectively controlling E. coli during slaughter and processing.

The FSIS said it will also expand testing of ground beef components and require countries whose beef is imported to the United States to conduct the same sampling or an equivalent measure.

FSIS officials will initiate more rapid recalls by considering a broader range of evidence when evaluating whether to seek a recall or take regulatory action.

A list of the new FSIS procedures is available at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/News%5F%26%5FEvents/NR_102307_01_Att/index.asp