NCC Says FSIS’s New Salmonella Framework Lacks Data, Research

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) today is announcing a new regulatory framework in an effort it says will reduce Salmonella illnesses associated with poultry products. Specifically, FSIS said it would be proposing three components, including:
  • Requiring incoming flocks be tested for Salmonella before entering an establishment;
  • Enhancing establishment process control monitoring and FSIS verification;
  • Implementing an enforceable final product standard.
“We support the need to develop science-based approaches that will impact public health, but this is being done backwards,” said Ashley Peterson, Ph.D., National Chicken Council senior vice president of scientific and regulatory affairs. “The agency is formulating regulatory policies and drawing conclusions before gathering data, much less analyzing it. This isn’t science – it’s speculation.
“We continue to be disappointed that the agency has failed to use science and research to drive its regulatory policies.” Read more