Source: Tom Johnston, MEATINGPLACE, 12/18/14


Walmart announced today it will implement enhanced poultry safety measures for suppliers to reduce foodborne illnesses such as salmonella.

The new guidelines add to Walmart’s food safety program that requires poultry suppliers to achieve prevention-based certification against one of the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) internationally recognized standards.

“At Walmart and Sam’s Club, we are committed to providing our customers with safe, quality foods,” said Vice President for Food Safety Frank Yiannas, in a news release. “As part of our continuous improvement process, we determined it was important to require additional layers of protection for our customers.”

The new program requires Walmart and Sam’s Club U.S. poultry suppliers to implement farm-to-fork controls designed to reduce potential contamination levels, including on chicken parts. It also requires suppliers to undergo specialized testing to validate that the measures they have implemented are effective. All suppliers must comply by June 2016.

Walmart said the new protocol has been vetted by numerous stakeholders including consumer groups, regulators, academicians, poultry suppliers and industry associations.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has partnered with Walmart on this initiative.

Dr. Chris Braden, director of CDC’s Division of Foodborne, Waterborne, and Environmental Diseases said, “CDC, along with Walmart, recognizes that reducing Salmonella and other pathogen contamination in poultry products is a crucial step towards decreasing the burden of foodborne illnesses. Walmart and CDC working together to protect public health and advance food safety is a great example of a public-private partnership that benefits everyone” 

Dr. Gary Acuff, director of the Texas A&M Center for Food Safety, applauded the company’s work: “Walmart’s implementation of enhanced safety measures for poultry products provides leadership for the food industry and continues a progressive approach to providing the safest possible food. This is a smart, science-supported move that will greatly benefit consumers.”

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