MEAT+POULTRY - September 2024 - 91

Around the time of the proposed change
in the FSIS policy, Emilio Esteban, USDA
undersecretary for food safety, discussed the
reason for the changes. Esteban also explained
what poultry establishments must do to
comply with the new guidelines if the final
rule passes.
He said the poultry industry will have
to examine birds pre-harvest. Esteban said
FSIS does not have jurisdiction in this part
of the supply chain but will make guidance
and recommendations.
" We know there are things you can do with
the water, with the feed, with the way you raise
the animals, the environment and vaccination
that will affect the quality of the product that is
presented to the slaughter plant, " Esteban said.
Once at the plant, the second component
comes into play. FSIS will ask plants to
document their statistical process control and
whether they have a way to monitor it.
The third component from FSIS establishes
final product standards to prevent raw chicken
carcasses, chicken parts, ground chicken and
ground turkey products that contain any type
of Salmonella at or above 10 colony-forming
units (CFU) per g/ml and any detectable
level of at least one of the Salmonella
serotypes of public health significance from
entering commerce.
FSIS officials clarified that establishments
must have both components to be an
adulterant. If establishments have one or the
other, it would be acceptable to move the
product forward in processing.
" If you do well in component two, and
you're buying good quality chickens in
component one, component three should not
be an issue, " Esteban said.
Esteban noted that the statistical process
control (SPC) monitoring methods will
continue to be shared electronically with FSIS.
The proposal for the rule was published
on Aug. 7. The agency extended the comment
period until Nov. 7 for any stakeholders who
want to leave a note in the Federal Register.
Before that deadline, Esteban discussed what
FSIS plans to do to inform the industry and
the public about the proposed rule changes.
He stated that FSIS wants to have a couple
of webinars or other meetings to explain to
everybody the risk assessments and logic for
why the agency decided to take this step.
" I want to do it together with industry, "
Esteban said. " Ultimately, consumers, industry
and government, we all have a role to play
in safety. "
Approximately 1.35 million human
infections occur from Salmonella bacteria
each year in the United States, according
to the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC). FSIS also
estimated 125,000 chicken-associated and
almost 43,000 turkey-associated illnesses
occur every year.
Since 2021, FSIS has taken other steps,
including starting activities to gather data
and information, to inform the framework of
this proposed rule. Some of the actions FSIS
took include using the National Committee
on Microbiological Criteria for Food to
provide guidance on types of microbiological
criteria the agency might use to better
prevent Salmonella infections associated with
poultry products.
The agency created a risk profile for
pathogenic Salmonella subtypes in poultry,
which helped develop two quantitative
risk assessments. It also conducted an
exploratory sampling program for young
chicken carcasses to generate microbial data
and add quantification to FSIS' Salmonella
testing program.
Esteban also explained that if the rule is
finalized, high-volume establishments would
be required to comply with these proposed
requirements for one year. Medium-volume
establishments would have two years to meet
the proposed requirements, and low and very
low-volume establishments would receive
three years to comply with new FSIS rules.
" Ultimately, it's going to be a phasing
approach because we realize that not everyone
has the same resources to get there, " Esteban
said. " It's not just a magic wand. It's part of
a process. "
Esteban emphasized that he wants to
collaborate with the poultry processing
industry to bring a safe poultry product
to retailers and consumers around the
United States.
" Our real hope is that this opens formal
lines of discussion with the industry, and we
work together with them - and not against
them but with them - to get a better solution, "
Esteban said.
www.meatpoultry.com | 09.24 | MEAT+POULTRY
91
" I want to do
it together
with industry.
Ultimately,
consumers,
industry and
government,
we all have a
role to play
in safety. "
- EMILIO ESTEBAN
http://www.meatpoultry.com
MEAT+POULTRY - September 2024

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