The purpose of this letter is to respond to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) Food Safety and Inspection Service’s (FSIS’s) October 15, 2002 announcement requesting comment on the notice entitled, “FSIS Actions Concerning Suppliers that may be Associated with Escherichia coli (E. coli) O157:H7 Positive Raw Ground Beef Product” (hereinafter “the draft Notice”).1 The draft Notice explains the steps that FSIS will take in conjunction with sampling raw ground beef products for th presence of E. coli O157:H7 at federally inspected establishments as well as retail facilities.

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