USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service has proposed new federal standards to reduce Salmonella and Campylobacter in ground chicken, turkey products and raw chicken breasts, legs and wings. USDA Deputy Under Secretary for Food Safety Al Almanza says these new standards and improved testing patterns will have a major impact on public health. FSIS is proposing a pathogen reduction performance standard for chicken parts, ground chicken and ground turkey – which should create a 30-percent reduction in illnesses from Salmonella and a 19 to 37-percent reduction in illnesses from Campylobacter.
The agency’s science-based risk assessment estimates implementing these new standards would prevent an average of 50,000 illnesses each year. Final standards and an implementation date should be announced this spring. For more information – visit FSIS dot USDA dot gov (www.fsis.usda.gov).