[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 241 (Wednesday, December 16, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 78166-78167]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-31628]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food Safety and Inspection Service
[Docket No. FSIS-2014-0034]
Availability of FSIS Compliance Guideline for Controlling
Salmonella and Campylobacter in Raw Poultry
AGENCY: Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of availability and opportunity for comment.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is announcing
the availability of and requesting comment on the revised guideline to
assist poultry establishments in controlling Salmonella and
Campylobacter in raw poultry. The Agency has revised its guideline to
provide updated information for establishments to use to control
pathogens in raw poultry products with the goal of reducing human
illnesses associated with consuming poultry contaminated with
Salmonella and Campylobacter. The guideline represents the best
practice recommendations of FSIS based on scientific and practical
considerations. This document does not represent regulatory
requirements. By following this guideline, poultry establishments
should be able to produce raw poultry products that have less
contamination with pathogens, including Salmonella and Campylobacter,
than would otherwise be the case.
DATES: Submit comments on or before February 16, 2016.
ADDRESSES: A downloadable version of the compliance guideline is
available to view and print at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Regulations_&_Policies/Compliance_Guides_Index/index.asp. No hard
copies of the compliance guideline have been published.
FSIS invites interested persons to submit comments on this notice.
Comments may be submitted by one of the following methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: This Web site provides the ability to
type short comments directly into the comment field on this Web page or
attach a file for lengthier comments. Go to http://www.regulations.gov/. Follow the on-line instructions at that site for
submitting comments.
Mail, including CD-ROMs: Send to Docket Clerk, U.S. Department of
Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service, Patriots Plaza 3, 1400
Independence Avenue SW., Mailstop 3782, Room 8-163B, Washington, DC
20250-3700.
Hand- or courier-delivered submittals: Deliver to Patriots Plaza 3,
355 E Street SW., Room 8-163A, Washington, DC 20250-3700.
Instructions: All items submitted by mail or electronic mail must
include the Agency name and docket number FSIS-2014-0034. Comments
received in response to this docket will be made available for public
inspection and posted without change, including any personal
information, to http://www.regulations.gov.
Docket: For access to background documents or to comments received,
go to the FSIS Docket Room at Patriots Plaza 3, 355 E. Street SW., Room
164-A, Washington, DC 20250-3700 between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.,
Monday through Friday.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Daniel L. Engeljohn, Ph.D., Assistant
Administrator, Office of Policy and Program Development; Telephone:
(202) 205-0495, or by Fax: (202) 720-2025.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
FSIS is responsible for verifying that the nation's commercial
supply of meat, poultry, and egg products is safe, wholesome, and
properly labeled and packaged.
Salmonella and Campylobacter bacteria are among the most frequent
causes of foodborne illness. These bacteria can reside in the
intestinal tract of animals, including birds. Salmonella and
Campylobacter contamination of raw poultry products occurs during
slaughter operations as well as during the live-animal rearing process
(e.g., on-farm contamination can coat the exterior of the bird and
remain attached to the skin). Contamination with pathogens on poultry
can be minimized through the use of preventative pre-harvest practices,
with the use of proper sanitary dressing procedures, by maintaining
sanitary conditions before and during production, and by the
application of antimicrobial interventions during slaughter and
thereafter during fabrication of the carcasses into parts and
comminuted product.
In 2010, FSIS issued a guideline (third edition) for poultry
establishments with recommendations on how to identify hazards of
public health concern when conducting their hazard analysis and how to
prevent and control these hazards through Hazard Analysis and Critical
Control Plans (HACCP), Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures, or
other prerequisite programs. FSIS has revised its guideline (fourth
edition) to provide updated information for establishments to use to
control pathogens in raw poultry products. FSIS has also revised the
guideline to include recommendations for establishments regarding
lotting and sanitary dressing procedures, pre-harvest interventions and
management practices, antimicrobial interventions during slaughter and
thereafter during fabrication, and the use of establishment sampling
results to inform decision
[[Page 78167]]
making. In addition, FSIS revised the guideline to include information
on prerequisite programs, including how they can fit into the HACCP
system.
Furthermore, since issuance of the most recent version of the
guideline in 2010, there have been several outbreaks associated with
consumption of raw poultry products, including chicken parts and
comminuted (including ground) turkey products. In 2011, there were two
Salmonella outbreaks associated with ground turkey products
(specifically, turkey burgers and ground turkey) that resulted in a
total of 148 illnesses and 40 hospitalizations. In 2012 and 2013-2014,
there were two Salmonella outbreaks associated with consumption of
chicken parts that together resulted in over 700 illnesses and over 270
hospitalizations. Also in 2013, a Salmonella outbreak resulted from
consumption of mechanically separated turkey that was sent to an
institutional facility. This outbreak resulted in 9 illnesses and 2
hospitalizations.
In addition, in 2015, the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC) investigated two separate outbreaks of Salmonella
enteritidis infections attributed to raw, heat treated, stuffed chicken
products resulted in 20 illnesses (15 from one outbreak, and five from
the other outbreak). The implicated products were labeled with
instructions identifying that the product was uncooked (raw) and
included cooking instructions for preparation. Some case-patients
reported following the cooking instructions on the label and using a
food thermometer to confirm that the recommended temperature was
achieved.
FSIS analyzed practices of establishments that manufactured product
associated with these outbreaks and found problems with sanitation,
intervention use, and the validation of cooking instructions at some or
all of these establishments. FSIS considered these problems and is
providing recommendations in the revised guideline specific to these
issues.
Pre-harvest contamination can affect the level of Salmonella and
Campylobacter on FSIS-regulated products. FSIS has updated the pre-
harvest information in the guideline based on recently published
information. In addition, in response to a recommendation made by the
U.S. Government Accountability Office,\1\ FSIS updated the guideline to
include known information on the effectiveness of pre-harvest
practices. To further inform best practice guidance and to inform other
Agency activities, FSIS requests comments and data from industry and
other interested parties regarding pre-harvest pathogen control
strategies, including information on the effectiveness of pre-harvest
strategies in reducing pathogen levels in poultry presented for
slaughter.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Available at http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-14-744.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The recently proposed pathogen reduction performance standards \2\
for raw chicken parts and NRTE comminuted chicken and turkey are based
on meeting certain Healthy People 2020 (HP2020) goals--specifically,
the HP2020 goal to reduce human illnesses from Salmonella by 25 percent
and Campylobacter by 33 percent \3\ by the year 2020. This guideline
can assist establishments in meeting these (and existing poultry
carcass) performance standards, thereby resulting in a reduction in
human illnesses.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\2\ 80 FR 3940; Jan. 16, 2015.
\3\ Because the prevalence for NRTE comminuted turkey is
especially low, the highest practical reduction for this product was
estimated to be 19 percent. Therefore, for this one pathogen-product
pair, NRTE comminuted turkey and Campylobacter, FSIS proposed a
reduction less than its stated goal.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
FSIS encourages establishments to follow this guideline. This
guideline represents FSIS's current thinking, and FSIS will update it
as necessary to reflect comments received and any additional
information that becomes available.
USDA Nondiscrimination Statement
No agency, officer, or employee of the USDA shall, on the grounds
of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual
orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status,
income derived from a public assistance program, or political beliefs,
exclude from participation in, deny the benefits of, or subject to
discrimination any person in the United States under any program or
activity conducted by the USDA.
To file a complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program
Discrimination Complaint Form, which may be accessed online at http://www.ocio.usda.gov/sites/default/files/docs/2012/Complain_combined_6_8_12.pdf, or write a letter signed by you or your
authorized representative.
Send your completed complaint form or letter to USDA by mail, fax,
or email:
Mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Director, Office of
Adjudication, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20250-9410.
Fax: (202) 690-7442.
Email: [email protected].
Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for
communication (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact
USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD).
Additional Public Notification
FSIS will announce this notice online through the FSIS Web page
located at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/federal-register.
FSIS will also make copies of this Federal Register publication
available through the FSIS Constituent Update, which is used to provide
information regarding FSIS policies, procedures, regulations, Federal
Register notices, FSIS public meetings, and other types of information
that could affect or would be of interest to constituents and
stakeholders. The Update is communicated via Listserv, a free
electronic mail subscription service for industry, trade groups,
consumer interest groups, health professionals, and other individuals
who have asked to be included. The Update is also available on the FSIS
Web page. In addition, FSIS offers an electronic mail subscription
service which provides automatic and customized access to selected food
safety news and information. This service is available at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/subscribe. Options range from recalls to export
information to regulations, directives, and notices. Customers can add
or delete subscriptions themselves, and have the option to password
protect their accounts.
Done at Washington, DC, on December 11, 2015.
Alfred V. Almanza,
Acting Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2015-31628 Filed 12-15-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-DM-P