Here's How the USDA Is Hoping to Make Chicken and Turkey Way Safer to Eat

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) are getting tough on Salmonella. Particularly when it comes to chickens and turkey producers. 

On July 29, the FSIS released the text for its newly proposed rule that would make it illegal to sell "raw chicken carcasses, chicken parts, comminuted chicken, and comminuted turkey products contaminated with certain Salmonella levels." 

As the 249-page proposal added, the FSIS is also looking to "revise the regulations that require that all poultry slaughter establishments develop, implement, and maintain written procedures to prevent contamination by enteric pathogens throughout the entire slaughter and dressing operation to clarify that these procedures must include a microbial monitoring program (MMP) that incorporates statistical process control (SPC) monitoring methods, to require sampling at rehang instead of pre-chill, and to require that all establishments conduct paired sampling at rehang and post-chill." 

This is just the latest effort in a three-year battle by the agencies to combat the spread of Salmonella. 

In 2022, the Associated Press reported on how the USDA proposed a change that would declare Salmonella an adulterant in breaded and stuffed raw chicken products, which the AP noted included many frozen foods. It was the first step in a broader effort by the USDA to cut the risk of Salmonella-borne illnesses in the U.S., which costs consumers millions in necessary healthcare and causes more than 400 deaths per year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported.

"FSIS estimates this proposal would result in benefits to society of $20.5 million per year, ranging from $4.4 million to $39.0 million," the new proposal states. "The majority of the benefits are derived from prevented illnesses of $12.9 million per year, ranging from $0.3 to $28.7 million. FSIS also estimated avoided costs from a reduction in the risk of outbreak-related recalls for the industry." It added that "additional industry actions in response to this proposal may lead to additional benefits." 

Once the proposed rule is officially published, both the public and industry entities will have two months (60 days) to comment before the rule is finalized. 

"The proposed Salmonella framework is grounded in data and rigorous scientific evaluation, and it reflects feedback from extensive stakeholder engagement," Dr. José Emilio Esteban, the USDA Under Secretary for Food Safety, shared in a statement. "We encourage all interested stakeholders to submit comments and relevant data on the proposal as we work to finalize data-driven, science-based regulatory policies to address Salmonella in poultry."

Of course, you don't need to wait for the new ruling to pass to protect yourself against Salmonella. The CDC offered plenty of tips for preventing infection, including washing "your hands thoroughly with running water and soap after touching pets and other animals, or their food, water, poop, belongings .. or habitats," and reminds you to never "put your hands in your mouth after petting or playing with animals." Additionally — and this one is a tough one — it noted you shouldn't kiss "cats, dogs, chickens, turtles, lizards, or other pets or animals." See all of its tips at cdc.gov.