MONROE - The U.S. Department of Agriculture is proposing a new policy for taking early action on possible E. coli bacterial contamination in raw ground beef.
Green County Health Department Director RoAnn Warden called that announcement "good news for food safety." Although Warden said she cannot be certain the new policy would have helped prevent the E. coli outbreaks in Green County last fall, she says it is a good preventative step for possible future cases.
The USDA announced May 2 that the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is proposing to launch traceback investigations earlier - as soon as there is a presumptive positive test result for Escherichia coli (E. coli) O157:H7 in raw ground beef. Under its current traceback policy, FSIS does not begin investigations or follow-up activities until positive results are verified by FSIS testing or until outbreaks occur.
The new policy "could help prevent gastrointestinal illnesses caused by food-borne pathogens, by stopping contaminated products before they enter the marketplace or people's homes," Warden said.
"We know (ground) beef is a common source of E. coli, especially when not cooked properly," she added.
Green County last year saw the ravages of O157:H7 outbreaks, which claimed the life of one child who developed complications related to the infection. Most of the 18 cases identified were in young children and within households.
The origin of the infection was never found.
"We did not officially identify a source of our outbreaks ... neither in food or water," Warden said. "But we know it was passed from person to person."
E. coli O157:H7 produces a powerful toxin that damages the lining of the small intestine and can cause severe abdominal cramps, bloody diarrhea and vomiting. Potential sources of exposure include contaminated food or water, and person-to-person contact.
Nine people in the Monroe area were identified as having been infected with E. coli O157 following an outbreak between October and December 2011. An earlier outbreak of nine confirmed cases occurred between July and September.
The cases were managed through the collaborative efforts of officials at the local health department, school districts, Monroe Clinic infection control unit, and Wisconsin Division of Public Health's Bureau of Communicable Disease, who met in person or by phone to develop a procedure of testing and follow-up. A phone conference with the national CDC in Atlanta, Ga., was also part of the actions taken by local officials.
The new USDA policy is expected to help FSIS better determine whether an establishment that produced a contaminated product has also produced additional potentially contaminated products.
The agency is also announcing its intention to now, as a matter of routine policy, request a recall if an establishment is the sole supplier of meat for a ground beef product that FSIS or other federal or state agencies find positive for E. coli O157:H7; or if evidence suggests that contamination most likely occurred at the supplier establishment; or if part of the product from the originating source was sent to other establishments.
FSIS intends make any necessary changes to these policies and procedures, based on comments submitted by July 6.
Green County Health Department Director RoAnn Warden called that announcement "good news for food safety." Although Warden said she cannot be certain the new policy would have helped prevent the E. coli outbreaks in Green County last fall, she says it is a good preventative step for possible future cases.
The USDA announced May 2 that the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is proposing to launch traceback investigations earlier - as soon as there is a presumptive positive test result for Escherichia coli (E. coli) O157:H7 in raw ground beef. Under its current traceback policy, FSIS does not begin investigations or follow-up activities until positive results are verified by FSIS testing or until outbreaks occur.
The new policy "could help prevent gastrointestinal illnesses caused by food-borne pathogens, by stopping contaminated products before they enter the marketplace or people's homes," Warden said.
"We know (ground) beef is a common source of E. coli, especially when not cooked properly," she added.
Green County last year saw the ravages of O157:H7 outbreaks, which claimed the life of one child who developed complications related to the infection. Most of the 18 cases identified were in young children and within households.
The origin of the infection was never found.
"We did not officially identify a source of our outbreaks ... neither in food or water," Warden said. "But we know it was passed from person to person."
E. coli O157:H7 produces a powerful toxin that damages the lining of the small intestine and can cause severe abdominal cramps, bloody diarrhea and vomiting. Potential sources of exposure include contaminated food or water, and person-to-person contact.
Nine people in the Monroe area were identified as having been infected with E. coli O157 following an outbreak between October and December 2011. An earlier outbreak of nine confirmed cases occurred between July and September.
The cases were managed through the collaborative efforts of officials at the local health department, school districts, Monroe Clinic infection control unit, and Wisconsin Division of Public Health's Bureau of Communicable Disease, who met in person or by phone to develop a procedure of testing and follow-up. A phone conference with the national CDC in Atlanta, Ga., was also part of the actions taken by local officials.
The new USDA policy is expected to help FSIS better determine whether an establishment that produced a contaminated product has also produced additional potentially contaminated products.
The agency is also announcing its intention to now, as a matter of routine policy, request a recall if an establishment is the sole supplier of meat for a ground beef product that FSIS or other federal or state agencies find positive for E. coli O157:H7; or if evidence suggests that contamination most likely occurred at the supplier establishment; or if part of the product from the originating source was sent to other establishments.
FSIS intends make any necessary changes to these policies and procedures, based on comments submitted by July 6.