.jpg)
Yesterday, May 10, 2010, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the USDA was implementing "new performance standards" aimed at reducing two major culprits of food-borne illnesses, Salmonella and Campylobacter in chickens and turkeys. In doing so, the USDA is fulfilling a key recommendation of the President's Food Safety Working Group, according to the USDA news release.In addition to the new standards, USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) released a compliance guide to help the poultry industry meet these standards. In another action geared towards food safety, FSIS also released a compliance guide "on known practices for pre-harvest management to reduce E. coli 0157:H7 contamination in cattle."
FSIS is estimating that after the new standards have been in effect for two years "39,000 illnesses will be avoided each year under the new Campylobacter standards, and 26,000 fewer illnesses each year under the revised Salmonella standards."
According to Andrew Zajac's article on the new rules in the Los Angeles Times online, the rules will require poultry processors to reduce the number of carcasses from chickens and turkeys that test positive for the toxic bacteria. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that salmonella and campylobacter are the biggest contributor to food-borne illness in the U.S. CDC numbers show salmonella is responsible for 500 deaths annually and 1.4 million cases of food poisoning.
As many readers are well aware, Congress is currently considering food safety legislation, but with Financial Reform, talk of immigration reform, climate change legislation, and a Supreme Court nominee confirmation all in consideration for the Senate calender, it is not clear when the Senate will act on their bill (the House passed their legislation in July, 2009). Food Safety legislation is noticeably absent when Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (NV) discusses the potential Senate floor schedule.
In the meantime, the USDA is not waiting for new legislation, instead the agency is using the power and authority they already have to tackle an issue that has been a priority of the administration.
To read the USDA news release, click here.
To read the Zajac article click here.
Posted: 05/11/10
