USDA-FSIS to Withdraw Proposal to Declare Certain Salmonella Types as Adulterants in Raw Poultry Products
The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) will withdraw a proposed rule that would consider certain Salmonella serotypes and levels as adulterants in numerous raw chicken and turkey product categories, according to a document scheduled to be published in the Apr. 25, 2025, Federal Register, obtained by several news outlets, including Food Processing.
In the document, FSIS noted it had received 7,089 comments on the proposed framework, titled “Salmonella Framework for Raw Poultry Products,” during the comment period, which closed on Jan. 17, 2025. The agency went on to say that it “believes that the comments have raised several important issues that warrant further consideration.”
“Therefore, FSIS is withdrawing the ‘Salmonella Framework for Raw Poultry Products’ proposed rule and proposed determination to allow the Agency to further assess its approach for addressing Salmonella illnesses associated with poultry products,” the document said.
The proposed rule was announced in July 2024 and was an effort by FSIS to drive down Salmonella-related foodborne illnesses by reducing the prevalence of the pathogen in the poultry product supply. It would have set new final standards for six Salmonella serotypes in certain chicken and turkey items, and any raw chicken carcasses, chicken parts, comminuted chicken or comminuted turkey products contaminated above those standards would have been rendered adulterated and unable to enter commerce.
A little more than a week ago, FSIS delayed the sampling of not ready-to-eat (NRTE) breaded stuffed chicken products (chicken kievs) for Salmonella and pushed back the date that establishments need to reassess their Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) plans for these products to Nov. 3 of this year. In this case, FSIS also mentioned that more time was needed to assess the process.
