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

News Release

FSIS Reports Continued Decline Of Salmonella

        WASHINGTON, March 21, 2000--The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service today reported substantial reductions in the prevalence of Salmonella in raw meat and poultry products produced under USDA’s new, science-based inspection system at both large and small plants.

        "The Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point system (HACCP) has been instrumental in the continuing decline of Salmonella prevalence," said Under Secretary for Food Safety Dr. Catherine E. Woteki. "HACCP is one of our best tools for fighting potentially deadly pathogens and ensuring safer meat and poultry for American consumers."

        Results of two years of testing in large plants under HACCP show decreases in Salmonella prevalence in all product categories. In pre-HACCP baseline studies, Salmonella prevalence in young chicken carcasses was 20 percent and 10.3 percent under HACCP, a difference of nearly 50 percent. Prevalence in swine was 8.7 percent before HACCP and 4.4 percent under HACCP, a difference of nearly 50 percent. In ground beef, prevalence was 7.5 percent prior to HACCP and 5.8 percent under HACCP, a difference of more than 20 percent. Prevalence in ground turkey was 49.9 percent before HACCP and 34.6 percent under HACCP, a difference of more than 30 percent.

        Results of one year of testing in small plants under HACCP show a similar trend of decreasing Salmonella prevalence in three of the four product categories. In pre-HACCP baseline studies, Salmonella prevalence in ground beef was 7.5 percent and 4.3 percent under HACCP, a difference of more than 40 percent. In young chicken carcasses, prevalence was 20 percent before HACCP and 16.3 percent under HACCP, a difference of nearly 20 percent. Prevalence in cow and bull carcasses was 2.7 percent prior to HACCP and 2.3 percent under HACCP, a difference of 15 percent. The only exception to the downward trend was swine carcasses, where 18.2 percent tested positive after HACCP, compared to the performance standard of 8.7 percent. It is expected that small swine plants will evaluate and implement more effective means of reducing Salmonella.

        Since HACCP implementation, 90 percent of large plants and 84 percent of small plants have met Salmonella performance standards. Failure to meet the standards triggers plant actions and can lead to regulatory enforcement action.

        "The Salmonella performance standards are a crucial component of the new science-based preventive food safety systems, " said Woteki. "FSIS selected Salmonella because it is a good indicator of sanitary conditions as well as being one of the leading causes of foodborne illness."

        NOTE: 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. A progress report on Salmonella prevalence is available at the FSIS Web site at http://www.fsis.usda.gov.

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For Further Information, Contact:
FSIS Congressional and Public Affairs Staff
Phone: (202) 720-9113
Fax: (202) 690-0460

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