FSIS currently tests raw meat and poultry products collected at slaughter and import facilities for 18 metals under the NRP. The agency said the testing program includes aluminum, arsenic, barium, cadmium, chromium, copper, iron, lead, manganese, molybdenum, nickel, sodium, selenium, thallium, tungsten, vanadium, zinc, and, for the first time as a routine analyte, mercury. Data generated through the program are published in the agency's quarterly National Residue Program reports.

Inspection program personnel assigned to RTE establishments will notify establishment management of the change during weekly meetings and document those discussions in a Memorandum of Interview. Establishments will not be required to hold products pending metals test results, although they may voluntarily hold the sampled lot until results are available.

Metals testing results will be reported through the agency’s Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) Direct and the Public Health Information System (PHIS). Detected metals will be reported as numerical values, while non-detected metals will not appear in reports. FSIS said inspectors are not expected to take additional action based on test results unless directed by a District Office. Results of concern will be evaluated by the agency's Office of Public Health Science on a case-by-case basis, with follow-up actions taken as appropriate.