The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) is urging the U.
S. Department of Agriculture to prioritize the updating of pathogen standards for bacteria found in meat and poultry. A recent report by the GAO says the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has not clarified when its updates will happen.
The report also says the department needs to document its prioritization of pathogen standards and “assess risks to human health from any gaps in its oversight.” “In 2018, the FSIS designated Salmonella in ‘not ready-to-eat’ breaded stuffed chicken products an ‘adulterant’— a poisonous or deleterious substance — if present at certain levels,” the report states. “However, since that time, FSIS has not finalized any new or updated standards for campylobacter and other illness-causing pathogens in meat and poultry products.
It paused work on several standards to focus on a framework of standards for Salmonella in raw poultry.” The report outlines five recommendations, including updating standards, creating educational materials, and renewing agreements with other agencies, such as the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, to ensure effective coordination of responsibilities. The FSIS has said it plans to use a similar approach to developing other standards as it used in developing the raw poultry Salmonella framework.
However, according to the GAO report, officials at the agency said they “did not know when” the framework would be fin.
