Salmonella limit in raw poultry products to reduce the amount of contaminated meat

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) proposed new rules on Monday aimed at reducing the presence of salmonella in raw poultry products.

This action is aimed at preventing contaminated meat from appearing on store shelves and reducing the number of illnesses associated with it.

Under the proposed rules, poultry companies must meet new salmonella thresholds and test for six particularly harmful strains of the bacteria, three in turkeys and three in chickens. Poultry that exceeds these standards or contains any of the strains will not be fit for sale and will be recalled.

Newsweek contacted the USDA by email for comment.

This comes after the U.S. Department of Agriculture in April designated Salmonella as a “contaminant” in raw poultry products, the first time salmonella has been recognized as a food contaminant, alongside some types of E. coli bacteria.

Additionally, according to the Associated Press, Dr. Emilio Esteban, U.S. Department of Agriculture’s undersecretary for food safety, said that while the poultry industry has made progress in reducing salmonella over the past three decades, it has not translated into a significant decrease in disease incidence.

This comes after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) declared an outbreak of Salmonella Braenderup in mid-June, with 185 cases reported in 24 states. In addition, 196 people in 28 states and the District of Columbia have become ill with Salmonella Africana, 68 of whom required hospital treatment.

Eating food contaminated with salmonella can lead to salmonellosis, one of the most common foodborne bacterial infections. Symptoms typically include diarrhea, abdominal cramps and fever that develop within six hours to six days of eating contaminated food, according to the U.S. Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS).

While most people recover from salmonella illness after a few days without needing treatment, those at higher risk for severe illness include older adults, infants, and people with weakened immune systems. If people are concerned about potential illness, FSIS advises them to contact their doctor.

According to the CDC, salmonella is one of the most common foodborne illnesses, causing about 1.35 million infections and 26,500 hospitalizations per year in the U.S. The infection can be extremely serious and causes about 420 deaths per year in this country.

Meanwhile, the proposed regulations also require poultry companies to implement comprehensive monitoring programs to detect contamination throughout the slaughter process. Additionally, the guidelines aim to reduce the risk of salmonella spreading in flocks, including vaccination protocols, as the Department of Agriculture estimates that there are 125,000 salmonella infections in chickens and 43,000 in turkeys each year.

However, the National Chicken Council, which represents the U.S. broiler industry, has expressed concerns about the additional requirements, AP reported.

Senior Vice President Ashley Peterson questioned whether the bill would have a “positive impact” on public health and warned of potential price increases. But he said the council remains committed to further reducing salmonella populations and will review the USDA’s full proposal.

Martin Bucknavage, a food scientist at Penn State, acknowledged the challenge of tracking specific levels of bacteria in a rapidly evolving industry. He told the AP he expects the industry will need time to adjust and see if the new requirements actually slow food poisoning cases.

The proposed rules, which have been three years in the making, will undergo a public consultation process before they are finalised as they aim to create a safer food supply chain.