ABSTRACT
Regulators must receive training, developed and provided cooperatively by regulators and industry in food microbiology, epidemiology of foodborne disease, and Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP). Implementation of the HACCP approach must be a top priority in the food industry and among food regulators. Industry and regulatory representatives must work together in its implementation. Through training courses, professional publications, and the popular press, the public and food industry employees should be made aware of the potential hazards of animal-derived raw foods. Strong efforts should continue in the development of more sensitive and specific test methods based on current and new concepts and technologies. Basic research invariably precedes practical applications and must be properly funded. Endorsement of the National Research Council's plan for a national program to identify foods for which microbiological criteria are needed, develop criteria for those foods, and appropriately implement such criteria in regulatory programs.
