Salmonella bacteria contamination of meat and poultry products is “the most pressing problem” faced by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), according to . Today, USDA-FSIS released its Salmonella Action Plan, which outlines the steps it will take to address this problem, but fails to address the underlying problem, that this dangerous pathogen is not an “adulterant” in raw meat and poultry until there is an outbreak of illness.
Because Salmonella is not considered an adulterant in USDA regulations, contaminated raw poultry and meat products can often be legally sold to retailers.
The USDA Action Plan optimistically opts to try prevent illnesses with the following priorities:
- modernizing the outdated poultry slaughter inspection system;
- focusing inspectors’ duties solely on food safety;
- enhancingsampling and testing programs;
- ensuring that testing programs factor in the latest scientific information available and account for emerging trends in foodborne illness;
- empowering inspectors with the tools necessary to expeditiously pinpoint problems by getting more information about a plant’s performance history and using better methods for assessing in-plant conditions;
- inspectors will be better positioned to detect Salmonella earlier, before it can cause an outbreak;
- establishing new performance standard and; developing new strategies for inspection throughout the full farm-to-table continuum;
- addressing all potential sources of contamination; and
- focusing the Agency’s education and outreach tools on this pathogen.
Our hope is that these measures are embraced by the meat and poultry industries and prevent illnesses.
Attorney Fred Pritzker represents food poisoning victims throughout the United States. He and his Bad Bug Law Team have won millions for their clients in personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits against meat processors, retailers, restaurants and others. You can contact Fred for a free consultation (click here now).
