Article:

Supply Chain Management in the Purchase of Ground Beef

by John G. Surak, Clemson University, Clemson, SC

The Agricultural Marketing Service of the USDA is incorporating modern supply-chain-management principles into its purchasing specifications. This strategy focuses on insuring that suppliers have stable manufacturing processes which are also capable of meeting the purchasing requirements ^(AMS). The approach will improve both the quality and safety of the ground beef supplied to the school food lunch program by designing quality into the manufacturing system.

AMS strategy includes the following:

• Prior to approval as a supplier, the meat processors are required to demonstrate that the appropriate manufacturing processes follow a documented quality control program that will demonstrate compliance with program requirements and receive a successful onsite capability assessment by the AMS, Livestock and Seed Program's, Audit, Review, and Compliance Branch.
• Require processors to demonstrate that the appropriate manufacturing processes are stable or "in statistical control" in regards to microbiological and fat content requirements. This will be demonstrated through the use of control charts.
• The meat processors are required to demonstrate that the appropriate manufacturing processes are capable of meeting the purchasing standard through the use of capability analysis (histograms and CPU /CPK).
• Require meat processors to use a systematic problem solving process linked to continuous improvement if analysis reveals that any ground beef product is contaminated with E.coli O157:H7 and/or salmonella.
• Require meat processors to monitor their processes using control charts and capability analysis.
• Require meat processors to use at least two pathogen intervention steps.
• Permit the use of irradiation to cold pasteurize the ground beef.
• AMS will monitor supplier performance for process stability and capability by using control charts and capability analysis.

As part of the purchasing program, AMS will use statistical process control techniques to monitor the fat levels and the levels of four microorganisms (aerobic plate count, total coli forms, E. Coli, and Salmonella sp.) The AMS has stated that a capable process is a process that has a CPU > 1.0. for these processes. In addition, any presence of E. coli O157:H7 will be handled as a special cause of variation. As a result the meat processor will have to take immediate corrective and preventive actions using a systematic problem solving process to identify and eliminate the cause of the contamination. This procedure will include the use of cause and effect analysis.

This new standard has been in use since 2003 and has reduced the incidence of Salmonella sp. in ground beef by over 60% as well as increased the quality of the ground beef.

The National Academies of Sciences ^(NAS) reviewed the scientific basis for performance standards. In their report Scientific Criteria to Ensure Safe Foods, they recommended that the regulatory agencies incorporate the use of statistical process control linked to continuous improvement into food processing regulations. This USDA purchasing specification is in alignment with the recommendations of the NAS report.

To meet current and future regulations and customer requirements, food processors need to implement a quality system based on process control linked to continuous improvement. A strategy to achieve this goal is outlined in Implementing Statistical Process Control ^(Surak).

References

Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) (AMS), USDA
Technical Requirements Schedule - GB-2009, For USDA Purchases of Ground Beef Items, Frozen (6.9MB PDF)

National Academies of Sciences (NAS)
Scientific Criteria to Ensure Safe Foods

J. G. Surak
Implementing Statistical Process Control

July 2003

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