The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has withdrawn a proposal to limit salmonella levels in raw poultry, which was aimed at reducing food poisoning from contaminated chicken and turkey.
The rule, proposed in August 2022, required poultry companies to test for six strains of salmonella associated with illness and recall products if the bacteria exceeded certain thresholds. However, after receiving over 7,000 public comments, the USDA has decided to re-evaluate its approach.
Industry groups have praised the withdrawal, citing concerns that the rule would have increased costs and created more food waste without significant public health benefits. The National Chicken Council described the proposal as “legally unsound” and said it would have had no meaningful impact on reducing salmonella cases.
However, food safety advocates are critical of the move, with some arguing that it will lead to more salmonella being shipped to restaurants and grocery stores, ultimately making Americans sicker. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that 1.35 million people get infected with salmonella each year in the US, resulting in about 420 deaths annually.
The withdrawal comes as a blow to efforts to reduce foodborne illness from poultry products. In 1994, the USDA banned certain strains of E. coli bacteria from ground beef after deadly outbreaks. The current proposal had been seen as a major step forward in addressing salmonella contamination in poultry.
Source: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/usda-withdraws-rule-salmonella-levels-raw-poultry