USDA Indefinitely Delays Enforcement of Salmonella as Adulterant in Raw Breaded, Stuffed Chicken
After withdrawing its previously proposed regulatory framework for Salmonella in raw poultry in April, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA-FSIS) is continuing to delay sampling and verification activities for Salmonella in not-ready-to-eat (NRTE), breaded and stuffed chicken products, and is beginning to explore alternative strategies for reducing salmonellosis cases attributable to poultry.
In April 2024, USDA-FSIS finalized the determination to declare Salmonella an adulterant in NRTE, breaded and stuffed chicken products at levels exceeding 1 colony forming unit per gram (CFU/g), as these products are disproportionately represented in poultry-associated salmonellosis outbreaks. In April 2025, the agency said it would delay verification activities for this determination by six months, and now, FSIS is again delaying verification activities without setting a new implementation date. According to the agency, this delay is due to limitations in available test methods, including concerns about accuracy and unacceptably high false positives, and FSIS will continue to evaluate the validity of available testing methods.
The declaration of Salmonella as an adulterant in NRTE, breaded and stuffed chicken products was part of a broader, now-cancelled proposed regulatory framework that would have determined Salmonella to be an adulterant in a raw chicken product (specifically, raw chicken carcasses, chicken parts, comminuted chicken, and comminuted turkey) if it contained levels of the pathogen exceeding 10 CFU per milliliter (mL) or gram (g), or if a serotype of concern S. Enteritidis, S. Typhimurium, S. I 4,[5],12:i:-, S. Hadar, S. Typhimurium, or S. Muenchen) was detected at any level.
Instead of moving forward with its former plans for Salmonella in poultry—which were developed after years of research and stakeholder consultations—FSIS is starting anew with an upcoming public meeting to explore “practical strategies” for reducing Salmonella illnesses attributed to poultry products. The meeting will be hosted in-person at USDA’s South Building, Washington D.C. and online on January 14, 2026 from 11:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. ET. Details on meeting topics, registration, and public comment opportunities have not yet been announced.
Update, December 5, 2025: USDA-FSIS has opened registration for the public meeting.
Looking for quick answers on food safety topics?
Try Ask FSM, our new smart AI search tool.
Ask FSM →
