USDA-FSIS Extends Comment Period for Proposed Salmonella Regulatory Framework | Food Safety

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On July 29, 2024, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA-FSIS) published a final draft of its proposed regulatory framework for Salmonella in raw poultry products, the comment period for which has since been extended twice. Stakeholders now have until January 17, 2025 to submit feedback on the proposed framework.

The extension was made as a compromise to industry requests that the comment period for the rule be extended to April 2025.

The goal of the regulatory framework is to reduce human cases of salmonellosis attributable to poultry products. It “tentatively” determines Salmonella an adulterant in other raw chicken products at a certain level (at or above 10 colony forming units per milliliter), and when a serotype of concern is present (serotypes of concern include S. Enteritidis, S. Typhimurium, S. I 4,[5],12:i:-, S. Hadar, and S. Muenchen).

Additionally, the proposed framework provides for a routine sampling and verification testing program for Salmonella in chicken parts, comminuted chicken, and comminuted turkey. All poultry slaughter establishments are also required to develop, implement, and maintain written procedures to prevent contamination throughout their operations, and maintain relevant records. FSIS decided to omit from the proposed framework the requirement for poultry slaughter establishments test incoming flocks for Salmonella.

An October 1 bonus episode of the Food Safety Matters podcast features USDA’s Dr. José Emilio Esteban, Under Secretary for Food Safety, and Sandra Eskin, Deputy Under Secretary for Food Safety, who discuss the agency’s proposed regulatory framework in detail, including USDA’s approach to its development leading up to and following the comment period. Listen to the episode here.