Salmonella sleuthing

In August 2022, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that it would be declaring Salmonella an adulterant in breaded and stuffed raw chicken products. These products will be considered adulterated when the presence of Salmonella exceeds one colony forming unit (CFU) per gram of breaded and stuffed raw chicken. By doing this, the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) of USDA would have the authority to recall affected products and ensure they are not sold to consumers.

“Since 1998, breaded and stuffed raw chicken products have been associated with up to 14 outbreaks and approximately 200 illnesses,” USDA said following its announcement. “Products in this category are found in the freezer section and include some chicken cordon bleu or chicken Kiev products. These products appear cooked, but they are heat-treated only to set the batter or breading, and the product contains raw poultry. Continual efforts to improve the product labeling have not been effective at reducing consumer illness.” Read more