The regulatory landscape for poultry producers is showing signs of a forthcoming shift. By making preparations now, producers can position themselves for pending industry changes.

The USDA declared Salmonella an adulterant in not-ready-to-eat breaded stuffed chicken products earlier this year. This marks the first time Salmonella has been treated as an adulterant in a class of raw poultry products.

Though the change currently affects only a small portion of the poultry market, it signals a dramatic pivot from previous approaches to controlling Salmonella. By declaring Salmonella an adulterant in certain cases, the USDA is demonstrating a willingness to shift more responsibility for controlling Salmonella from consumers to producers; the agency has already proposed a draft of new regulations concerning the processing and testing of raw poultry products.

For protein processors, this adds an extra layer of regulatory requirement to the already-complicated responsibility of controlling Salmonella across the entire breadth of their operations. To survive and thrive in the future of protein processing, leaders must arm themselves with a firm understanding of proposed changes and the strategies they should be adopting now to prepare. 

A Close Look At Upcoming Regulatory Changes

Although protein processors have long been subject to rigorous food safety protocols concerning foodborne illnesses, the responsibility of Salmonella prevention has largely been treated as a consumer issue—i.e., something consumers needed to control through hand washing, deliberate food preparation, etc.

Now, a greater portion of that responsibility is shifting from consumer to producer. The USDA’s proposed framework for Salmonella control extends far beyond the breaded products addressed by the recent ruling; it includes determinations on every component of poultry processing, from enhanced process monitoring to the implementation of an enforceable final product standard.

The new standard is quite rigorous: It labels as adulterated all poultry products that contain Salmonella at or above 10 colony forming units per gram or ml and any detectable level of one of the three most harmful types of Salmonella.

Here’s the bottom line: Stricter Salmonella control rules are likely on the way, and protein processors that want to remain competitive and enforce robust food safety measures need to look closely at their end-to-end control strategies before they find themselves playing catch-up.

Four Ways To Prepare For the Proposed Changes

When examining their cleaning and sanitation (C&S) and antimicrobial strategies, poultry producers need to take an expansive approach to controlling Salmonella and ensuring food safety. That means looking beyond the basics and building strong controls into the foundation of your production process.

Here are four ways to do that:

1. Invest in targeted chemistries: Focus on chemistries that deliver high performance across the entire spectrum of factory floor operations. That covers the treatment of poultry carcasses, parts, trim and organs as well as surfaces and areas where microorganisms tend to grow (high-traffic areas, drains, etc.). 

2. Improve your sanitary design: Proper sanitary design has a dual effect: It improves your facility’s sanitation standards while also boosting its operational efficiency. To reap the benefits, leadership must make sure equipment is accessible and cleanable to a microbiological level, eliminate harborage or niche areas where microbial hazards thrive and ensure that surfaces are designed to self-drain whenever possible to avoid moisture buildup.

What’s more, leaders need to strengthen and standardize sanitation procedures to a point where it is very simple for your staff to observe, analyze and validate cleans. If your C&S procedures aren’t backed by a strong system for creating, maintaining and communicating institutional knowledge, you will be fighting an uphill battle.

3. Use digital tools and reliable dosing systems: The dosing of peracetic acid and other core process chemicals should not come down to a guessing game. Instead of relying on manual or ad hoc dosing processes, invest in automated dosing and monitoring systems that ensure consistent, safe chemistry levels. This supports multiple food safety and business objectives: It prevents the over/under-application of chemicals and prevents food product loss due to improper application.

4. Focus on ongoing training and process refinement: Your team is your greatest asset in creating and maintaining a strong, reliable cleaning and sanitation program. Turn your training into an ongoing process by offering employees opportunities (and incentives) to stay on top of evolving C&S norms. Enlist regulatory and safety experts to provide you and your team with customized guidance on how to enforce consistent sanitary behaviors. Make that knowledge easily accessible through a centralized hub of instructional content.

The Next Phase Of Salmonella Control Is Coming

The USDA’s proposed framework for controlling Salmonella in poultry processing facilities is a big step forward in the fight against foodborne outbreaks. Adjusting to the framework will take effort from poultry processors—but with the right chemistries and strategies, they can position themselves to thrive in this new environment.

The key will be preparation. Who used every inch of the runway and strengthened their end-to-end processes in anticipation of a stricter regulatory environment? And who waited until the new regulations came knocking at their door and found themselves scrambling to catch up?

And, finally, which side of that divide would you prefer to be on?