A coalition of 23 consumer, labor, public health, and civil rights groups have sent a letter to Secretary Tom Vilsack. They are urging the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to withdraw its proposal that increases poultry processing line speeds and removes hundreds of federal inspectors from poultry processing plants. That proposal, called HACCP-based Inspection Models … Read more
A study published in BMC Microbiology looked at the prevalence of Campylobacter in skinless, boneless chicken breasts, tenderloins, and thighs. The meat was purchased in food stores in Alabama from 2005 to 2011. Campylobacter bacteria was found in 41% of the meat samples. This study reinforces the fact that consumers should avoid cross-contamination with raw … Read more
Europe’s meat and poultry inspection methods don’t do enough to address the threat of foodborne illness and should be modernized, according to The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). The EFSA’s scientific opinion, published June 29, is part of a response to European Commission’s May 2010 request that the organization investigate the correlation between meat inspection … Read more
Probiotics may reduce the level of Campylobacter bacteria in the digestive tracts of poultry and, by extension, the incidence of food poisoning in humans, according to a new study published in Zoonoses and Public Health. Campylobacter live in the intestines of many healthy animals including cattle, poultry and swine. During slaughter, these bacteria are often transferred to cuts … Read more
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Meat and Poultry Hotline fields a lot of questions about the proper way to grill meat and poultry, and with the season of summer barbecues kicking off this weekend they have compiled a list of tips and frequently asked questions. Here is a summary of the recommendations: At The Store Choose … Read more
The USDA’s proposed changes to poultry inspection, called HACCP-based Inspection Models Project (HIMP), have been criticized by many consumer groups. The Consumer Federation of America (CFA) released a statement on the changes. Chris Waldrop, Director of the Food Policy Institute at that agency, said, “there has been no thorough independent review of HIMP since 2001 when … Read more
The USDA has delayed making a decision on implementation of its poultry inspection modernization plan called HACCP-based Inspection Models Project (HIMP). Back in January, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack held a press conference to announce the changes. The proposal has met with a lot of backlash from consumer groups and food safety advocates. So the USDA … Read more
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack and Under Secretary for Food Safety Dr. Elizabeth Hagen held a press conference on January 20, 2012 attended by Food Poisoning Bulletin where they discussed a proposed modernization of poultry slaughter inspection methods. The plan would concentrate Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) resources on the parts of the poultry … Read more