Food Safety and Inspection Service United States Department of Agriculture Washington, D.C. 20250-3700

Backgrounders

March 2000

Progress Report on Salmonella Testing of Raw Meat and Poultry Products

Summary

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service is releasing a progress report on testing for Salmonella in raw meat and poultry products produced under the new, science-based preventive food safety system. The progress report presents data for broilers, swine, ground beef, and ground turkey in large plants between January 26, 1998 and January 24, 2000 and data for broilers, swine, cows and bulls, and ground beef in small plants between January 25, 1999 and January 24, 2000.

Although the results are still considered preliminary, and the data are insufficient to generalize across the industry, Salmonella prevalence in most of the product categories being reported is lower after Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) implementation than in baseline studies conducted before HACCP implementation. In addition, the vast majority of plants are complying with the Salmonella performance standards. The results are encouraging in light of the agency's goal to reduce, to the extent possible, pathogens that can cause foodborne illness.

Previously, FSIS published a report on Salmonella testing in large plants for the entire year of 1998. That report showed a significant decrease in the prevalence of Salmonella in raw products from large plants. The 1998 results can be found at the FSIS Web Site at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/ophs/salmdata.htm.

While a reduction in pathogens reduces the risk of illness, consumers should continue to properly handle, prepare, and store all meat, poultry, and other food products in order to guard against foodborne illness.

Background

On July 25, 1996, FSIS published its final rule on Pathogen Reduction and HACCP Systems, which established new requirements for all meat and poultry products to improve food safety. Under HACCP, plants must analyze their production systems, identify where hazards such as microbial contamination can occur, and establish controls to prevent or reduce those hazards. In addition, slaughter plants are required to conduct microbial testing for generic E. coli to verify that their process control systems are working as intended to prevent fecal contamination, a primary avenue of contamination of raw product with harmful bacteria. FSIS also requires plants to adopt and follow written Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures (SSOPs) to reduce the likelihood that harmful bacteria will contaminate finished product.

To verify that HACCP systems are effective in controlling contamination of raw product from harmful bacteria, the rule sets pathogen reduction performance standards for Salmonella that slaughter plants and plants that produce raw ground products must meet. FSIS verifies that plants are meeting the standards by taking product samples and analyzing them for Salmonella in FSIS laboratories.

The requirements contained in the final rule on Pathogen Reduction and HACCP were implemented in stages. The requirements for SSOPs in all plants, and generic E. coli testing in slaughter plants, became effective on January 27, 1997. The requirements for HACCP and the Salmonella performance standards were phased in based on plant size. All large plants--those with 500 or more employees--were required to implement these requirements on January 26, 1998. Small plants--those with 10 or more, but fewer than 500 employees--were required to implement these requirements on January 25, 1999. Very small plants--those having fewer than 10 employees or annual sales of less than $2.5 million--were required to implement these requirements on January 25, 2000.

Salmonella Performance Standards and Testing Program

The performance standards for Salmonella represent the first time USDA has set microbial standards for raw products on such a broad scale and is the first step towards a greater reliance on performance standards for specific pathogens. Salmonella was selected as the target pathogen because it is one of the most common causes of foodborne illness, it is present at varying frequencies on all types of raw meat and poultry products, and it can easily be tested for in a variety of products.

Separate performance standards apply to each species and class of product and are listed in the final rule on Pathogen Reduction and HACCP (9 CFR, sections 310.25(b) and 381.94(b)). Products currently covered by performance standards are carcasses of cattle, swine, and broilers; and ground beef, ground chicken, and ground turkey. The pathogen reduction performance standards are based on the prevalence of Salmonella as determined from FSIS' nationwide microbial baseline surveys. FSIS intends to adjust the standards in the future as new data become available.

The standards are expressed in terms of the maximum number of positive samples that are allowed per sample set (sample sets are statistically determined and range from 51 samples for broilers to 82 samples for steers/heifers). For example, the performance standard for steers and heifers permits 1 out of 82 samples to be positive. For broilers, 12 out of 51 samples may be positive.

The results are being used to verify that HACCP systems are effective in controlling contamination with Salmonella. The presence of Salmonella positives above the standard is an indication that the plant's system for controlling contamination is not working, and the plant must take steps to correct the problem.

Progress Report on Salmonella Testing

FSIS is presenting the results of the first two years of testing in large meat and poultry plants and the first year of testing in small meat and poultry plants for which sufficient data are available. "Sufficient" is defined as having completed sample sets of a product category from 10 or more establishments.

Table 1 presents the prevalence of Salmonella on samples collected from January 26, 1998 through January 24, 2000 in large plants for broilers, swine, ground beef, and ground turkey. In pre-HACCP baseline studies, 20 percent of broilers tested positive for Salmonella while 10.3 percent tested positive during two years of HACCP implementation. Salmonella prevalence in swine was 8.7 percent before HACCP and 4.4 percent under HACCP. In ground beef, the prevalence was 7.5 percent prior to HACCP and 5.8 percent under HACCP. The prevalence in ground turkey was 49.9 percent before HACCP and 34.6 percent under HACCP.

Table 2 presents large plant Salmonella compliance. Results indicate that the percent of plants meeting the performance standard was high: 91 percent for broilers, 87 percent for swine, 88 percent for ground beef, and 93 percent for ground turkey. In total, 90 percent of large plants met the standard.

Table 3 presents the prevalence of Salmonella on samples collected from January 25, 1999 through January 24, 2000 in small plants for broilers, swine, cows and bulls, and ground beef. In pre-HACCP baseline studies, 20 percent of broilers tested positive for Salmonella while 16.3 percent tested positive during one year of HACCP implementation. Salmonella prevalence in ground beef was 7.5 percent prior to HACCP and 4.3 percent under HACCP. In swine, 18.2 percent tested positive after HACCP, compared to the performance standard of 8.7 percent. The prevalence in cows and bulls was 2.7 percent before HACCP and 2.3 percent under HACCP.

Table 4 presents small plant Salmonella compliance. Results indicate that 79 percent of broiler plants, 47 percent of swine plants, 77 percent of cows and bulls plants, and 87 percent of ground beef plants met the performance standard. In total, 84 percent of small plants met the standard.

Baseline surveillance data, upon which Salmonella performance standards were calculated, represent a true industry prevalence. Data are production-based, were collected over an entire year, and represent 99 percent of production in each species category. The six months of HACCP pre-implementation and compliance phase data do not meet these criteria and were generated using a different sample frame. Large broiler plant representation of production is closer to the baseline 99 percent than would be the case for any type of livestock.

Table 1. Large plants, Salmonella prevalence in first and second compliance sets.

January 26, 1998, through January 24, 2000*

*Reflects results from products with 10 or more completed sample sets during this time period.
**Corresponds to Salmonella performance standards, 9 CFR §§ 310.25(b) and 381.94(b)

Table 2: Large plants, Salmonella compliance in first and second complete sets.

January 26, 1998, through January 24, 2000

*Reflects results from products with 10 or more complete sample sets during this time period.
**9 CFR §§ 310.25(b) and 381.94(b)

*Reflects results from products with 10 or more complete sample sets during this time period.
**9 CFR §§ 310.25(b) and 381.94(b)

*Reflects results from products with 10 or more complete sample sets during this time period.
**9 CFR §§ 310.25(b) and 381.94(b)

For More Information

• General inquiries:
  • Media- (202) 720-9113
  • Congressional- (202) 720-3897
  • Constituent- (202) 720-8594
  • Consumer inquiries: Call USDA’s Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-800-535-4555. In the Washington, DC, area, call (202) 720-3333. The TTY number is  1-800-256-7072.
• Technical inquiries: Bonnie Rose, Microbiology Division (202) 501-6022
• FSIS Web site: http://www.fsis.usda.gov

For Further Information Contact:
FSIS Congressional and Public Affairs Staff
Phone: (202) 720-3897
Fax: (202) 720-5704

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