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Second phase of FDA poultry rule goes into effect
Story Date: 7/11/2012
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Source: NATIONAL ASSOC. OF STATE DEPTS. OF AGRICULTURE, 7/10/12
Egg-associated illness caused by Salmonella is a serious public health problem. Infected individuals may suffer mild to severe gastrointestinal illness, short-term or chronic arthritis, or even death. Salmonella Enteritidis can be found inside eggs that appear normal. If the eggs are eaten raw or undercooked, the bacterium can cause illness. Eggs in the shell become contaminated on the farm, primarily because of infection in the laying hens.
When the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) implemented the first portion of the preventative measures in 2010, the agency projected the rule would reduce the number of Salmonella Enteritidis infections from eggs by nearly 60 percent. Those rules governed egg producers having 50,000 or more laying hens - about 80 percent of production. The second phase of the rule went into effect on July 9, 2012. This portion of the rules requires egg producers with fewer than 50,000 but at least 3,000 laying hens whose shell eggs are not processed with a treatment, such as pasteurization, to comply with the regulation. Producers who sell all their eggs directly to consumers or have less than 3,000 hens are not covered by the rule. More information on the FDA rules is available here.
To ensure compliance, egg producers must maintain a written Salmonella Enteritidis prevention plan and records documenting their compliance. Egg producers covered by this rule must also register with the FDA. The FDA will develop guidance and enforcement plans to help egg producers comply with the rule.
The new rules are part of a coordinated strategy between the FDA and the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). The FDA and the FSIS will continue to work closely together to ensure that egg safety measures are consistent, coordinated, and complementary. For more information on the safe handling of eggs visit the Egg Safety Final Rule web page.
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