Source: Chris Scott, MEATINGPLACE, 4/18/18



The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) has issued a list of recommendations the agency says will help USDA reduce pathogens in meat and poultry products.

The GAO said USDA has developed standards limiting the amount of salmonella and campylobacter permitted in certain meat and poultry, such as ground beef, pork carcasses and chicken breasts. But it has not developed standards for other products that are widely available, such as turkey breasts and pork chops.

Further, USDA's process for deciding which products to consider for new standards is unclear because it is not fully documented, which is not consistent with federal standards for internal control, GAO said.
The 49-page report released today advises:
• The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) should document the agency’s process for deciding which products will be considered for new pathogen standards.
• FSIS officials should set time frames to determine what pathogen standards or additional policies are needed to address pathogens in beef carcasses, ground beef, pork cuts and ground pork.
• FSIS should add information on the effectiveness of on-farm practices to reduce the levels of pathogen as the agency finalizes guidelines for controlling salmonella in hogs.

The GAO noted that the U.S. food supply is generally considered safe, although foodborne illnesses remain a common problem, especially in such products as ground beef. The report also said some of USDA’s food safety standards are outdated and do not feature deadlines for revisions.

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