Summary

GAO reviewed a major rule promulgated by the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). The final rule limits the amount of water retained by raw, single-ingredient, meat and poultry products as a result of post-evisceration processing, such as carcass washing and chilling. The rule also revises the poultry chilling regulations to improve consistency with the Pathogen Reduction/Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points regulations. GAO concluded that FSIS complied with all applicable laws and regulations in promulgating this rule.