SEA GRANT PUBLISHES SEAFOOD BOOK

COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- A new book written specifically for retail seafood departments has been written by a team of specialists at Texas Sea Grant, one of 29 federal/state-funded non-profit organizations around the country devoted to marine studies. The book, Improving the Performance of Full-Service Retail Seafood Departments, explains how department managers can protect product quality, promote food safety, reduce shrink and improve volume and profits. The program describes the challenges associated with seafood's short shelf life, and offers a series of standard operating procedures (based on Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point practices) that can help reduce spoilage. The publication lists for $39.95 and is available from Texas Sea Grant at 979-862-3767.

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FoodUSA.com Signs With Safety Lab

MADISON, Wis. -- FoodUSA.com here has signed Silliker Laboratories, Homewood, Ill., to provide buyers using the meat-trading e-commerce site with information on food safety and quality assurance issues. Silliker will offer food plant, audit and third-party settlement capabilities, according to officials. Similarly, meat suppliers and processors who trade on the site will be able to use Silliker's audit services to meet buyer food-safety specifications, they said. Silliker is the latest strategic partner to join the e-company as it builds a total-solution environment for all facets of the meat category.

Salmonella Declines in Small Plants

WASHINGTON -- The Food Safety and Inspection Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced that salmonella prevalence on raw meat and poultry continues to decline under the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point inspection system. Small plants were first required to implement HACCP in January 1999 and showed a low prevalence of salmonella after the first 10 months of testing. Large plants, operating under HACCP since January 1998, have seen significant drops in Salmonella as well.

"After 10 months of complete sample set data collection during 1999, 94% of large meat and poultry plants and 86% of small meat and poultry plants are meeting the salmonella performance standard," said Catherine Woteki, undersecretary for food safety. "By reducing salmonella on raw meat and poultry, we are also reducing the threat of foodborne illness for American consumers."