WASHINGTON – The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has issued a notice on how to randomly select beef trimmings for collection. The notice, Randomly Selecting Beef Trim to Be Collected Under the Beef Manufacturing Trimmings (MT50) Sampling Program, also instructs IPP to collect all types of beef manufacturing trimmings over time when the establishment produces multiple types of beef trimmings.

Product that is intended for treatment with anhydrous ammonia is subject to FSIS sampling at the slaughter before it is sent elsewhere to be ammoniated, according to the notice.

The notice states that IPP must collect only one type of trim (i.e., IPP are not to combine samples from two piece chucks with source materials designated for anhydrous ammonia treatment). FSIS intends that all products that fall under the beef manufacturing trim sampling program will likely be selected over time through random selection. Therefore, IPP should not collect bits and pieces from different types of trim, according to FSIS.

In establishments that transfer trim to another establishment located in the same building as the slaughter establishment or separated from the slaughter facility by only a wall, IPP must sample this trim at the slaughter establishment, just as if an establishment would send this product to a location off-premises.