Multiple interventions to reduce microbiological contamination lead to continuous improvement of food safety.
Progress reports released by USDA's Food Safety & Inspection Service (FSIS) in March and October 1999, show that meat and poultry plants are substantially reducing the incidence of Salmonella on raw products.
Beyond promulgating Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures (SSOPs) and the Hazard Analysis & Critical Control Points (HACCP) system, the agency's final rule on Pathogen Reduction and HACCP (the MegaReg) of July 25, 1996, requires that slaughter plants test for generic E. coli to verify that they are preventing fecal contamination. FSIS inspectors monitor the results.