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Performance Standards for Salmonella and Campylobacter in Young Chicken and Turkey
FSIS has developed new pathogen reduction performance standards for control of Salmonella and Campylobacter
bacteria in chilled carcasses at young chicken (broiler) and turkey slaughter establishments that are
eligible for agency verification sampling. FSIS has had standards for Salmonella but not for Campylobacter.
These new standards respond to certain key recommendations of the President's Food Safety Working Group
to reduce the prevalence of disease-causing bacteria, Salmonella and Campylobacter, in poultry.
The new performance standards are based on analysis of data from recent FSIS baseline sample collection programs for
young chickens and turkeys. FSIS will issue a Federal Register notice in the very near future that will
provide specific details concerning the new standards. The Federal Register notice will also provide a
full account of the development of these performance standards and their estimated public health impact.
In addition, it will invite comments from the public. The agency will evaluate the comments and
make necessary changes to the standards in response to those comments in a subsequent Federal Register
notice. FSIS intends to implement the new standards by July 2010. The subsequent Federal
Register notice will announce the implementation date.
FSIS has set a goal that 90 percent of covered establishments will meet the new standards for
Salmonella bacteria by the end of calendar year 2010. The new Salmonella performance
standards will limit the number of positive samples that are acceptable in a defined set, as
compared to past standards. The new Campylobacter standards will also limit the number of positive samples that are
acceptable in a defined set. The laboratory procedures for Campylobacter specifically detect samples with high numbers
of organisms. Limiting high numbers of Campylobacter bacteria in carcasses is important
because this pathogen does not grow under normal handling temperatures, and thus
products with higher initial contamination are relatively more hazardous.
FSIS will implement a verification testing program in establishments, similar in
design to the agency's current testing program, and use the results as one measure
of establishment process control for reducing exposure of pathogens to the public.
The agency has found using pathogen reduction performance standards
in this way to be effective in encouraging improved establishment control of pathogens.
Draft Guidance for Cattle and Poultry Slaughter Establishments
The agency will also post on its Web site in the very near future draft compliance guidelines on known practices for pre-harvest
management to reduce E. coli O157:H7 contamination in cattle. These guidelines will focus on the prevention of
E. coli O157:H7 through reduced fecal shedding on the farm and during live animal holding before slaughter.
FSIS will also post on its Web site the draft third edition of compliance guidelines for poultry slaughter.
It will include additional pre-harvest recommendations for controlling Salmonella and Campylobacter in poultry.
Both documents are priorities for the President's Food Safety Working Group.
FSIS will announce the availability of these guidelines in the Federal Register notice that will announce the
new standards for Salmonella and Campylobacter. FSIS will also invite comments on both guidance documents through the Federal Register.
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Click on the FLU.gov widget and check out helpful resources on
where to get the seasonal and H1N1 flu vaccines, read myths and facts or even take an H1N1 flu self-evaluation.
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Last Modified:
December 31, 2009 |
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