The Urgency of Finalizing Food Safety Standards for Bacteria in Meat and Poultry

The US Government Accountability Office (GAO) recently released a report urging the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) to expedite the finalization of food safety standards for the bacteria Salmonella, Campylobacter, and Listeria in meat and poultry products.

Background of the Report

The GAO report is a continuation of previous assessments on USDA’s efforts to mitigate foodborne pathogens. The report highlights the challenges faced by the agency in setting and implementing stringent standards to ensure food safety in the meat and poultry industry.

FSIS’s Current Status

Despite designating Salmonella as harmful in certain chicken products in 2018, the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has not finalized any new standards for Campylobacter and other pathogens in meat and poultry since then. Work on standards for Salmonella in raw ground beef and Campylobacter in poultry products has been paused, raising concerns about gaps in oversight.

Collaboration with APHIS

The report also emphasizes the need for improved coordination between FSIS and the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) to address pathogens originating from farms that can enter processing plants. The current memorandum of understanding between the two agencies lacks clarity on responsibilities during foodborne illness outbreaks.

Key Recommendations

• Develop a prioritization plan for addressing Salmonella and Campylobacter in meat and poultry.
• Evaluate the public health impact of delaying standards implementation.
• Enhance collaboration between FSIS and APHIS to tackle farm-to-plant pathogen transmission.
• Provide educational materials to promote sanitation and pathogen control in regulated plants.

The GAO emphasized the urgency of these recommendations in light of recent foodborne illness outbreaks, such as the Listeria contamination incident linked to deli meat.

Conclusion

Improving federal oversight of food safety is crucial to safeguarding public health and preventing illness outbreaks. The GAO’s report serves as a reminder of the importance of stringent food safety standards in the meat and poultry industry.