Friday, October 14, 2022 – Today , the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) released the agency’s latest framework that will aim to reduce Salmonella contamination in poultry.

Salmonella remains a leading cause of poultry-related foodborne illnesses in the U.S., with an estimated 1.35 million cases of salmonellosis annually, resulting in 26,500 hospitalizations, and 420 deaths. The US remains the world’s largest producer and second-largest exporter of poultry meat in the world. 

“Stop Foodborne Illness (STOP) applauds FSIS for taking the first step of developing meaningful, comprehensive controls for Salmonella in poultry that includes an enforceable final product standard. The proposed framework reflects many issues raised by STOP and its coalition partners in our joint petition filed in January 2021,” says Mitzi D. Baum, M.Sc. and CEO of STOP. “The USDA-FSIS timeline is aggressive, with FSIS aiming to finalize these rules by mid-2024. We will continue working cooperatively to achieve this timeline goal. Consumers have waited too long for action on this issue,” adds Baum.

Amanda Craten, STOP board member and mother of a permanently injured child due to Salmonella, shared her personal perspective regarding the proposed framework. 

“This is a historic first step toward final product standards that are science-based, risk-based, enforceable, and effective at protecting our vulnerable loved ones. As a parent of a child who suffered from Salmonella illness and is left with permanent injury, I have advocated and engaged in the process to modernize poultry standards to ensure no child has to experience the devastation of a preventable, virulent Salmonella illness. I’m thankful that USDA is making the prevention of illnesses like my son Noah’s a priority.”

Current Salmonella standards haven’t been meaningfully updated for over 25 years, even though scientific knowledge advanced dramatically.

“This process of providing safer poultry with the USDA mark of inspection has just begun with many details yet to be determined. STOP acknowledges Secretary Vilsack and Deputy Undersecretary Eskin for prioritizing consumers and public health and taking on this long overdue issue,” adds Baum