USDA extends pathogen reduction comment deadline but will not delay actions

10-Mar-2015 - Last updated on 10-Mar-2015 at 17:12 GMT

USDA extended the comment period by 60 days instead of the 90 days requested

The USDA-FSIS has extended the comment period for proposed standards to reduce Salmonella and Campylobacter in ground chicken, turkey products and raw chicken parts.

The US Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) said the move was made in response to requests from trade associations.

FSIS released its Salmonella action plan in December 2013 to tackle the pathogen which causes an estimated 1.2 million illnesses every year, with 360,000 of those attributed to FSIS-regulated products in FY2014.

In a letter to FSIS Deputy Under Secretary Alfred V. Almanza at the end of January, a coalition of trade associations requested that FSIS extend the comment period by 90 days to provide additional time for meaningful comments.

90 day request 60 day granted

The trade associations requested that FSIS extend all implementation dates discussed in the original notice by 90 days to ensure it considers the comments and the affected industry has enough time to prepare for changes.

FSIS said it will extend the comment period by an additional 60 days so it will now end on May 26.

The agency said 60 days should be sufficient because it made available the information in the January 2015 Federal Register notice, other notices and the Salmonella Action Plan.

FSIS said it will not delay implementation of actions in the notice published in January.

Actions from this month

Some of the actions include sampling of raw chicken parts to gain additional information on the prevalence and the microbiological characteristics of Salmonella and Campylobacter.

FSIS also intends to begin exploratory sampling of raw pork products for pathogens of public health concern, as well as for indicator organisms.

The agency will also begin sampling imported poultry carcasses, imported raw chicken parts, and imported not-ready-to-eat comminuted chicken and turkey for Salmonella and Campylobacter.

From July 1 the agency plans to begin web-posting individual establishment category information for chicken and turkey carcasses.

FSIS identified changes to modernize the regulation of poultry slaughter and estimated that they could result in a reduction of nearly 5,000 Salmonella illnesses per year.

However, the plan has had its critics which Congress members saying it should be delayed last year.

Food & Water Watch also questioned Salmonella reduction figures after its release.