And that’s underscored by testing done by CR earlier this year that found almost a third of the 75 ground chicken samples were positive for salmonella. Salmonella contamination is widespread in chicken in part because of the often crowded and filthy conditions in which they are raised. Last year CR, along with the Center for Science in the Public Interest and other food safety groups, petitioned the USDA, urging it to reduce in particular the salmonella strains that pose the biggest threat to human health: infantis, typhimurium, and enteritidis. If salmonella became an adulterant, even in some poultry products, it would help reduce the amount of contaminated meat that hits the market.ĬR’s food safety experts have previously called for the USDA to take this action-as the agency has done for deadly, toxin-producing strains of E. And producers that exceed these amounts are not prevented from selling the meat. She says the outlined steps are likely to lower salmonella infections from poultry.Ĭurrently, a chicken processing facility is allowed to have salmonella in up to 9.8 percent of all whole birds it tests, 15.4 percent of all parts, and 25 percent of ground chicken. “We know that salmonella in poultry is a complex problem with no single solution,” said USDA Deputy Under Secretary Sandra Eskin in a statement. Today’s announcement comes on the heels of an earlier action in August, when the agency said that salmonella found in any raw, frozen, breaded chicken products would be considered an adulterant. From there, the rule-making process is expected to begin in 2023, says Ronholm.
In November, the USDA will hold a public meeting to get feedback on its proposal. “It gets the process moving, and it sets the USDA down a path where we can hopefully see meaningful reform implemented expeditiously.” “This is definitely a very encouraging step,” says Brian Ronholm, director of food policy at Consumer Reports.
The agency says it has twice previously failed to hit its salmonella infection reduction goals as set out by Health and Human Services, which is what prompted it to take further action. Poultry is responsible for about a quarter of those cases. Salmonella sickens 1.35 million people each year, according to the USDA.
0 kommentar(er)
