USDA Announces New Inspection System for Poultry Products
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) yesterday announced a long-awaited "re-focused" and "science-based" inspection system for chicken and turkey products, along with additional food safety requirements for poultry processors. According to an FSIS news release, poultry companies will have to meet new requirements to control Salmonella and Campylobacter, and up to 5,000 foodborne illnesses will be prevented each year as a result of the New Poultry Inspection System (NPIS).
"The United States has been relying on a poultry inspection model that dates back to 1957, while rates of foodborne illness due to Salmonella and Campylobacter remain stubbornly high," said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. "The system we are announcing today imposes stricter requirements on the poultry industry and places our trained inspectors where they can better ensure food is being processed safely. These improvements make use of sound science to modernize food safety procedures and prevent thousands of illnesses each year."