USDA Delays Salmonella Testing Program for Breaded Stuffed Chicken

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is delaying the date it will begin sampling not ready-to-eat (NRTE) breaded stuffed chicken products for Salmonella and the date establishments need to reassess their Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) plans for these products from May 1 to Nov. 3.

FSIS said this additional time is necessary for the agency to finalize its instructions to inspectors and prepare its inspection program personnel (IPP) and laboratories for the new sampling and testing. Additional time is also necessary for FSIS to provide industry with guidance on holding and controlling products pending FSIS' sampling results, said the agency.

Last spring, FSIS announced its final determination to declare Salmonella an adulterant in raw breaded stuffed chicken products when they exceed a specific threshold (one colony forming unit (CFU) per gram or higher) for Salmonella contamination.

Raw breaded stuffed chicken products are pre-browned and may appear cooked, but the chicken is raw. The products are typically cooked by consumers from a frozen state, which increases the risk of the product not reaching the internal temperature needed to destroy Salmonella. Despite FSIS’ and industry’s efforts to improve labeling, these products continue to be associated with Salmonella illness outbreaks, said the agency.