National Trichinae Herd National Trichinae Herd Certification ProgramCertification Program

Importance to industry• Stigma for the pork industry

• Stigma for the U.S.

• Establish national certification mechanism

• Modern practices have basically eliminated

Importance to FSIS

• First preharvest food safety (PHFS) program in U.S. history for a biological entity

• Based on implementation of Good Production Practices (HACCP-like foundation)

• Defines mechanism for subsequent PHFS programs

• Ensures the integrity of raw materials entering the plant

Where we are right now...• What has been done

– Risk factors identified

– Audit developed

– Certification mechanism defined

– Participants organized and committed

Where we are right now…

• What needs to be done

– Identify packers to participate in the pilot

– Test/refine process under varying real world conditions (via a pilot)

– Design the national certification program

– Implement administrative and regulatory changes necessary for the national program to begin, as pilot ends

Introduction• Trichinella spiralis - nematode of mammals

– Any meat-eater can become infected.

• Has long been a stigma for U.S. Pork both domestically and internationally. Consumers either overcook or avoid pork consumption in response to their fear of contracting “worms from pork”.

• In 1994, the most asked pork safety question by consumers to the USDA’s Meat and Poultry Hotline was about trichinae in pork.

Prevalence of Trichinellosis in Humans

• Dramatically declining.

• 1943 - 16.1% of U.S. population (National Institute of Health) = 1 out of 6 people infected

• 1970 - 4.2%

• 1997 - 11 reported cases in the U.S.

• 1998 - 17 reported cases in the U.S.

• 1999 - 9 reported U.S. cases as of 12/24/99 MMWR

• Fewer than one-half of human cases are attributed to pork products.

Trichinellosis in Swine

• 1900 - 2.5% infection rate

• 1930’s - 0.95%

• 1952 - 0.63%

• 1953-62 - Enactment of garbage cooking laws.

– Aimed at vesicular exanthema and hog cholera.

Trichinellosis in Swine

• 1965 - 0.16%

• 1970 - 0.12%

• 1995 - 0.013% (NAHMS National Swine Survey)

• 8 U.S. plants approved to use pooled sample digestion under the AMS’s trichinae export testing program

– One plant has tested nearly 5 million carcasses without finding any infected carcasses

National Trichinae Certification Program

• NPPC

• USDA-ARS

• USDA-APHIS

• USDA-FSIS

• Allied Industry

• Many States

Pre-Harvest Certification

• Based on production of pigs under management practices which minimize the risk of exposure of pigs to Trichinella.

• Uses written records and third party auditing to document good production practices.

• Is supported by regular testing of certified animals to verify the absence of infection.

Requirements of a Pre-Harvest Certification Program

• Knowledge of risk factors for transmission of Trichinella to pigs.

• Management interventions which reduce or eliminate risk for exposure.

• An objective audit and other records sufficient to document risk-reduced management.

• Tools for monitoring absence of infection in a certified population.

• Administrative, record-keeping and reporting systems to support certification.

International Perspective

• E.U. spends over 550 million dollars each year to test carcasses for larvae of Trichinella.

• International Commission on Trichinellosis

– Addresses on-farm control of trichinae in the 1999 document, “Recommendations on Methods for the Control of Trichinella in Domestic and Wild Animals Intended for Human Consumption”.

• Lays out requirements for Trichinella free pig production.

• Indicated they will be monitoring the progress of our program and will probably adopt many of our procedures and documents.

Certification Process

• Accredited veterinarians, trained in trichinae GPP, work with producers to assure that trichinae infection risks are minimized on their farms.

– Education will be the forerunner of the program.

• Periodic audits, performed by trained herd veterinarians, document the absence of trichinae infection risks.

– APHIS decision and notification.

Certification Process (continued)

• Routinely, statistical samples will be tested (ELISA) at slaughter and to verify absence of infection and verify program integrity

• USDA:APHIS:VS Veterinarians conduct random spot-audits of certifications to ensure completeness and to build credibility among trade partners regarding the certification process.

Stakeholders• U.S. Pork Producers

• U.S. Pork Industry

• Swine Practitioners

• Packing Industry

• U.S. Government

• Domestic and International Consumers

Resolutions

• 1998 Pork Forum Resolution– Trichinae Free Pork– Resolution: That the United States pork industry take

aggressive steps to certify that U.S. pork products are trichinae free and communicate this to the domestic and international pork chain.

• LCI Food Safety Committee Resolution– Resolution: Be it resolved that the Livestock Conservation

Institute encourages APHIS, FSIS, ARS, AASP and the National Pork Producers Council to continue to develop and implement a risk-based certification program to establish herd trichinae-safe status. [Approved: 1994; Amended: 1999]

Trichinae Certification Benefits

• Allow the U.S. to better compete in the fresh pork international market.

• Cost of certification allows industry to address this issue.

– Certification = $0.21 - $0.60 average annual cost per pig (Testing ~ $0.83)*.

• Help to change the perceptions of pork our own domestic consumers hold.

• A model for pre-harvest food safety programs.

*Based on Cost Analysis of Trichinae-Free Program Alternatives (CEAH, 1998)

National Trichinae Certification Program Standards

• Provide documentation of swine management practices which minimize risk of exposure of swine to the zoonotic parasite Trichinella spiralis.

• Establish a set of criteria that enable producers to market swine which are not considered a risk to human health due to exposure to this parasite.

Web Site

• USDA APHIS VS homepage contains:

– Description of program

– Certification procedures explained

– List of certified herds

– List of Qualified veterinarians

– List of participating offices and personnel

What is FSIS’ role?

• Provide oversight of plant trichinae activities

– Testing levels.

– Tracking and segregation of animals and carcasses.

– Checking of herd certification records for incoming pigs.

What is FSIS’ role?

• In partnership with APHIS, ensure program integrity

– Coordinate and oversee in-plant statistical testing for verification of on-farm certification program.

– Verify integrity of the program to APHIS.

– Communicate positive animal results to APHIS for traceback.

– Recognize end product as trichinae safe based on APHIS certification and in-plant testing