For use beginning 1/17/2025
A. VAAFM product sampling for Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) and Salmonella are important food safety verification activities that support VAAFM’s food safety and public health goals. This directive provides instructions to inspection program personnel (IPP) to collect and submit ready-to-eat (RTE) meat and poultry product samples to the laboratory and, when appropriate, to document noncompliance in response to positive test results. Instructions concerning Lm verification activities other than sampling and responses to positive results are contained in VT Directive 10,240.4, Listeria Rule Verification Activities.
B. This program is the VT Agency of Agriculture’s Ready to Eat (RTE) product verification sampling program, and is a means of sampling RTE products for Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) and Salmonella, and FCS and environmental surfaces within the plant for Lm.
C. This directive reflects changes to product sampling for Lm and Salmonella under a new combined RTEPROD project and updates to the sampling selection criteria for the new project to streamline communication. The directive also includes RTEPROD scheduling information in the Attachment. The directive has been revised to clarify that both post-lethality exposed and not post-lethality exposed products are subject to RTEPROD sampling. Establishments will continue to be sampled at least two times per year and no more than 1 time per month (maximum of 12 samples per year per establishment).
A. VAAFM product sampling for Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) and Salmonella are important food safety verification activities that support VAAFM’s food safety and public health goals. This directive provides instructions to inspection program personnel (IPP) to collect and submit ready-to-eat (RTE) meat and poultry product samples to the laboratory and, when appropriate, to document noncompliance in response to positive test results. Instructions concerning Lm verification activities other than sampling and responses to positive results are contained in VT Directive 10,240.4, Listeria Rule Verification Activities.
B. This program is the VT Agency of Agriculture’s Ready to Eat (RTE) product verification sampling program, and is a means of sampling RTE products for Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) and Salmonella, and FCS and environmental surfaces within the plant for Lm.
C. This directive reflects changes to product sampling for Lm and Salmonella under a new combined RTEPROD project and updates to the sampling selection criteria for the new project to streamline communication. The directive also includes RTEPROD scheduling information in the Attachment. The directive has been revised to clarify that both post-lethality exposed and not post-lethality exposed products are subject to RTEPROD sampling. Establishments will continue to be sampled at least two times per year and no more than 1 time per month (maximum of 12 samples per year per establishment).
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