USDA-FSIS proposes changes to Salmonella verification testing program

USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is announcing and requesting comment on proposed pathogen reduction performance standards for Salmonella in raw comminuted pork and raw intact or non-intact pork cuts. The agency is also announcing how it plans to assess whether establishments producing these products are effectively addressing Salmonella using a moving window of FSIS sampling results.

Approximately one year (52 weeks) after the new performance standards are made final, the agency plans to post online each establishment's performance category, based on the most recent 52 Salmonella sample results. The notice discusses other verification activities related to FSIS Salmonella sampling and testing of raw pork products. Finally, the notice provides a brief summary of the Agency's recent announcements concerning Salmonella in poultry products. FSIS will consider comments received on this notice before announcing the final performance standards in the Federal Register and assessing whether pork establishments meet them.

FSIS invites interested persons to submit comments on this notice, on or before June 2, 2022. Comments may be submitted by one of the following methods:

Federal eRulemaking Portal: This website provides commenters the ability to type short comments directly into the comment field on the web page or to attach a file for lengthier comments. Go to https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions at that site for submitting comments.
Mail: Send to Docket Clerk, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Mailstop 3758, Washington, DC 20250-3700.
Hand- or courier-delivered submittals: Deliver to 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Jamie L. Whitten Building, Room 350-E, Washington, DC 20250-3700.

Instructions: All items submitted by mail or electronic mail must include the agency name and docket number FSIS-2019-0023. Comments received in response to this docket will be made available for public inspection and posted without change, including any personal information, to https://www.regulations.gov.

Docket: For access to background documents or comments received, call (202) 720-5627 to schedule a time to visit the FSIS Docket Room at 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20250-3700.

Source: USDA-FSIS

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