U.S. tightens Salmonella controls for ground turkey and chicken

Dec. 6, 2012 – In response to a series of Salmonella outbreaks, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) have announced new guidelines for pathogen controls for manufacturers of raw ground turkey and chicken.

According to Food Safety News, the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) will help minimize contamination at risky parts of the production process and implement safety measures at these points. FSIS will also start verifying that manufacturers have updated their plans beginning in 90 days.

Salmonella testing will also be expanded to include comminuted poultry, that which has been “mechanically separated or deboned and then further chopped, flaked, minced or somehow reduced in particle size.” In addition, FSIS will begin testing these products for Campylobacter contamination.

For more information on the FSIS annoucement, read the official policy statement here and the article on Food Safety News.