Are More Rigorous Regulations Needed to Reduce Salmonella Outbreaks In Raw Poultry? Yes. Ever So Slowly - But Incontestably. Thank you - FSIS / USDA

April 22, 2019 • By Steve Sayer 

Currently, Steve Sayer is a workplace safety consultant to OSHA, EPA, GFSI, Humane Handling (feed livestock and birds), FSIS / AMS / USDA / FDA, and a technical writer for multiple industries, as well as a part-time maintenance worker for California State Beaches in San Clemente, California. You may contact him at sayersteve9@gmail.com

(Updated on 09 / 23 / 2022 - By Steve Sayer)

(Editor’s Note: This is an online-only article attributed to the June/July 2019 issue.)

The CDC estimates Salmonella causes 1.2 million illnesses, 23,000 hospitalizations, and 450 deaths annually. Food is accountable for approximately 1 million of these illnesses. Furthermore, research published by the agency last year found that Salmonella in chicken was among the leading causes of outbreak-related illnesses and hospitalizations between 2009 and 2015.

For decades Salmonella infections have remained constant, triggering economical damage and resulting in over $3.5 billion annually in medical costs.

Salmonella is certainly not an exclusive domestic poultry / meat issue; rather it’s a global one that holds no differentiation to foods, drinks, including baby powder / milk, it can theoretically contaminate.

Here are just a few recent instances of Salmonella recalls:

• In January 2018, French dairy group Lactalis widened a product recall to cover all baby milk manufactured by its factory at the center of a Salmonella contamination that led to dozens of babies falling ill. Lactalis, the world’s largest dairy group, had to recall more than 12 million tins of baby milk around the world due to the outbreak.
• BRF Brazil recalled almost 500 metric tons of fresh chicken products in February 2019 as a precautionary measure of Salmonella contamination. Products were destined to the Brazilian commerce, including 299.6 metric tons for the international markets.
• In March 2019, Hometown Food Co. in the U.S. initiated a voluntary retail-level recallfor its Pillsbury Unbleached All-Purpose after a random inspection revealed traces of Salmonella. Prior to this, in January, General Mills conducted a voluntary national recallof its Gold Medal Unbleached Flour due to the potential presence of Salmonella, which was discovered during sampling.
• Also in March, Butterball LLC recalled over 78,000 pounds of raw ground turkey products that could have been contaminated with Salmonella Schwarzengrund. Such recalls as Butterball’s are concerning because some customers may have stored the ground turkey into their freezers.
• Last year also saw a nationwide recall in the U.S. of approximately 12 million pounds of various raw, non-intact beef products from JBS Tolleson due to Salmonella Newport.

In addition, various products containing kratom powder that were manufactured, processed, and packed by Triangle Pharmanaturals, were recalled after testing revealed Salmonella. Since gaining newly found regulatory muscle mass from the Food Safety Modernization Act, the FDA rolled out its new regulatory jackhammer and ordered a federal mandatory recall of kratom in April 2018.

In 2022, the USDA may very well be covetous, while private industry is - finally - rather timorous.

USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) recently started to post on its website revealing data on Salmonella contamination involving poultry products. Poultry and meat plants are sorted by FSIS into three (3) distinct categories according to their Salmonella test results as per FSIS’ pathogen reduction performance standards.

The best performing plants are placed in category 1, which are sampled by FSIS less often than those establishments placed into categories 2 and 3. Overall, the new FSIS data on Salmonella contamination isn’t very encouraging. Such noncompliance makes even the most passive layperson doubt FSIS’ raw poultry regulatory guidelines that are intended to protect consumers from Salmonella.

Ensuring that the food products FSIS regulates are safe to eat, is no easy task.

But are FSIS regulations involving raw / frozen poultry / beef and Salmonella contained within the FSIS Strategic Plan for 2017-2021 selectively flawed?

 Click FSIS Strategic Plan 2017-2021 and view for yourself.

Countless others and I say: Yes, it was flawed.

Especially if one ask family members and associated friends who have lost loved ones caused by - preventable - food-borne pathogen$.

Try and defend this one - this time - National Chicken Council.

Good Luck, General Armstrong Custer(s)

Or - perhaps you’ve all had enough to digest for one sitting?

Stuffed Raw Chicken Products

Release & Contact Info

Press Release

Release No. 0167.22

Contact: USDA Press

Email: press@usda.gov

HEADLINE -WASHINGTON, August 1st, 2022 –

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) SHALL announce that it SHALL be declaring Salmonella an adulterant in breaded and stuffed nRTE chicken products.

“Food safety is at the heart of everything FSIS does,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “That mission will guide us as this important first step launches a broader initiative to reduce Salmonella illnesses associated with poultry in the U.S.”

“Today’s announcement is an important moment in U.S. food safety because we are declaring Salmonella an adulterant in a raw poultry product,” said Sandra Eskin, USDA Deputy Under Secretary for Food Safety.

“This is just the beginning of our efforts to improve public health.”

Wonderful.

By declaring Salmonella an adulterant in these products, FSIS SHALL be able to ensure that highly contaminated products that could make people sick are not sold to consumers.

Since 1998, breaded and stuffed raw chicken products have been associated with up to 14 outbreaks and approximately 200 illnesses. Products in this category are found in the freezer section and include some chicken cordon bleu or chicken Kiev products.

These products appear cooked, but they are heat-treated only to set the batter or breading and the product contains raw poultry.

Continual efforts to improve the product labeling have not been effective at reducing consumer illnesses.

Breaded and stuffed raw chicken products SHALL be considered adulterated when they exceed a very low level of Salmonella contamination and SHALL be subject to regulatory action(s).

FSIS SHALL be proposing to set the limit at 1 colony forming unit (CFU) of Salmonella per gram for these products, a level that the agency believes SHALL significantly reduce the risk of illness from consuming these products.

The agency SHALL also seek comment on whether a different standard for adulteration – such as zero tolerance or one based on specific serotypes – would be more appropriate.

The notice is expected to publish in the Federal Register in the fall 2022 and FSIS SHALL be seeking public comments that address what the standard should be as well as to inform a final implementation plan, including a verification testing program.

Once published, the notice SHALL be posted in FSIS’ Federal Register & Rulemaking page for review and comment. When the proposal is finalized, FSIS SHALL announce its final implementation plans and the date it SHALL begin routine testing for Salmonella in these products.

This action is part of FSIS’ broader efforts to reduce Salmonella illnesses associated with poultry. In October 2021, USDA announced it was re-evaluating its strategy for controlling Salmonella in poultry, including whether Salmonella should be considered an adulterant in specific raw poultry products.

Since launching this effort, USDA has been focusing on gathering information by meeting with stakeholders to hear their ideas, asking for recommendations from food safety experts, and soliciting ideas for pilot projects from industry to test drive different control strategies in poultry establishments.

USDA plans to present a proposed framework for a new comprehensive strategy to reduce Salmonella illnesses attributable to poultry in October 2022 and SHALL convene a public meeting to discuss it in November.

The USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways.

In the Biden-Harris Administration, the USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production.

Fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to safe, healthy, and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate smart food and forestry practices; making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America - - - and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America.

To learn more, visit www.usda.gov.

Sayer, who has extensive experience in the meat and poultry industry, is an accredited GFSI BRC, FSSC 22,000 and PACCO (feed animals and birds) auditor and OSHA / Food / beverage safety consultant. Reach him at sayersteve9@gmail.com.

Filed Under: Analysis & Testing

Tagged With: Food Quality, Food Safety, Food safety regulations, FSIS, Salmonella

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