Source: Chris Scott, MEATINGPLACE, 9/17/13

At least two federal officials are calling on the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture to take greater steps to monitor chicken processing in China now that the USDA has opened the door for China to export chicken food products into the United States.

In a letter to USDA chief Tom Vilsack, U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) suggested that U.S. officials immediately increase the number of on-site audits and inspections of Chinese processing facilities by U.S. inspectors as well as increased inspection of chicken meat destined for U.S. markets. Schumer points out that Chinese processors have a poor track record regarding food-safety standards, citing prior outbreaks of food-borne illness and a pattern of violating processing and other laws that raises the risk to consumers eating meat from China.

Schumer’s concerns were echoed by U.S. Rep. Laura DeLauro (D-CT), who also questioned how the USDA can make sure that chicken meat from China will be safe to eat in a letter she sent separately to Vilsack. DeLauro noted that China’s food-safety system still has what she described as “serious deficiencies” and wants Vilsack to outline specifics on how the USDA will ensure the safety of products exported to U.S. markets by China. She also notes that the current plans do not include installing U.S. inspectors at Chinese processing plants to ensure the safety of the products they produce.

The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) issued its final report on the on-site verification of its audit of China’s poultry processing inspection system at the end of August.

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