Source:  Tom Johnston, MEATINGPLACE.COM, 6/25/10

In announcing Russia's agreement to reopen its borders to imports of U.S. poultry, USDA said it will post on its Web site those antimicrobial treatments that processors can use as an alternative to chlorine on product destined for Russia.

On Jan. 1, Russia imposed a ban on imports of poultry treated with chlorine, effectively blocking all imports of U.S. chicken. But Russia has agreed to lift the ban following assurances from Washington that U.S. poultry processors will use other treatments to disinfect product.

Those treatments, according to the American Meat Institute, are cetylpyridinium (sold under the Cecure brand), hydrogen peroxide and peroxyacetic acid.

In a joint press release, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk said Washington would notify Russia of the treatments that companies use on poultry shipped to Russia, as well as provide Moscow an updated list of processing plants authorized to export product there.

Sanderson says…

Sanderson Farms CEO Joe Sanderson said today in a call with investors that his company has two plants ready to use peroxyacetic acid on its products and a third plant will be capable of using the same treatment within a week. The new treatments are not cost-prohibitive, and don't give one processor an advantage over another, he said.

"Anybody could do this," he said.

AMI officials said the agreement will require a new letterhead certificate with verification from FSIS that pathogen-reduction treatments (PRTs) used by processors are approved.

It's still unclear if existing inventory will be eligible for export under the new agreement, they added.

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