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Progress Report on Salmonella Testing of Raw Meat and Poultry Products, 1998-2002

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The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) issued the Pathogen Reduction; Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) Systems; Final Rule on July 25, 1996: Federal Register, Vol. 61, No. 144, pp. 38805-38989 (http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OA/fr/haccp_rule.htm). To verify that industry Pathogen Reduction/HACCP (PR/HACCP) systems are effective in controlling the contamination of raw meat and poultry products with disease-causing bacteria, the PR/HACCP rule sets Salmonella performance standards that slaughter establishments and establishments that produce raw ground products should meet. These product-specific limits on Salmonella became effective in large establishments on January 26, 1998; in small establishments on January 25, 1999; and in very small establishments on January 25, 2000. FSIS verifies that establishments are meeting the standards by having federal inspection personnel collect randomly selected product samples and send them to FSIS laboratories for Salmonella analysis, according to procedures described in Appendix E of the PR/HACCP final rule: Federal Register, Vol. 61, No. 144, pp. 38917-38928 (http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OA/fr/haccp_rule.htm).

The Salmonella performance standards are based on the prevalence of Salmonella as determined from the agency’s nationwide microbial baseline studies (http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OPHS/baseline/contents.htm) conducted before PR/HACCP was implemented. Raw products currently covered by performance standards are carcasses of cows/bulls, steers/heifers, market hogs, and broilers; and ground beef, ground chicken, and ground turkey. The performance standards are expressed in terms of the maximum number of Salmonella-positive samples that are allowed per sample set. The number of samples in a sample set varies by product, and the maximum number of positive samples allowed in a set provides an 80% probability of an establishment passing when it is operating at the standard. An initial sample set or a set that follows a passed set is designated an “A” set; other codes (such as “B”, “C”, and “D”) represent sample sets collected from establishments that are targeted for follow-up testing following a failed set. Code “A” sample sets are collected at randomly selected establishments.

The prevalence data reported here for Salmonella in raw meat and poultry products have certain limitations that restrict the range of valid statistical inferences. The PR/HACCP verification testing program is strictly regulatory in nature and was designed to track establishment performance rather than to estimate nationwide prevalence of Salmonella in products. Because the program is not statistically designed, different establishments may be sampled from year to year, confounding rigorous trend analyses. Furthermore, it is important to note that the prevalence estimates computed from the FSIS’s pre-HACCP baseline studies and surveys were nationally representative because they were weighted on the basis of the production volume of the sampled establishments. In contrast, the PR/HACCP Salmonella prevalences from the regulatory testing program reported here represent unweighted test results from sampled establishments.

The data reported here are from code “A” sample sets. Presenting the “A” set data provides the most direct comparison to the baseline estimates that were used to establish the performance standards. Salmonella prevalence estimates are based on all “A” set samples collected during the indicated year, with no consideration given as to whether a sample is part of a complete or an incomplete set. The prevalence estimate is the number of positive samples divided by the total number of samples analyzed, expressed as a percentage. The percentages of sample sets meeting the Salmonella performance standards are based on “A” sets that were completed during the specified year, as defined by the collection date of the last sample in the sample set.

This year, in the summary tables, a column is included for “size unknown” establishments. As PR/HACCP was implemented, establishments were asked to provide FSIS with “size” information (large, small, or very small). However, establishments have not been requested by the agency to update this information. In recent years, as additional establishments have applied for grants of inspection, there are more establishments with no size distinction. This year, to provide more complete information, FSIS has included these establishments in the “size unknown” (not reported to FSIS) category. In previous reports, the very few “size unknown” establishments were included with the very small establishments.

During the last year (CY 2002), Salmonella prevalence in all product categories with performance standards was lower than in agency baseline studies and surveys conducted before PR/HACCP implementation (Table A1).  Differences in pre- versus post-HACCP Salmonella prevalence may reflect changes due to HACCP implementation. During 2002, both increases and decreases in prevalence from the previous year for specific product categories were observed. However overall, for all sizes of establishments combined, the CY 2002 Salmonella prevalence for broilers, market hogs, cows/bulls, steers/heifers, ground beef, and ground turkey decreased, as compared to CY 2001.

The Salmonella prevalence in ground chicken from all sizes of establishments combined increased from 19.5% in CY 2001 to 29.1% in CY 2002. This increase was due primarily to an increase in Salmonella prevalence for small establishments from 16.8% in CY 2001 to 31.0% in CY 2002. However, the CY 2002 overall level for ground chicken is still well below the baseline prevalence of 44.6%.

Decreases in Salmonella prevalence were seen between CY 2001 and CY 2002 for specific product categories from specific sizes of establishments. For example, in the previous progress report covering the four years of 1998 through 2001, the agency pointed out that very small broiler establishments were having difficulty meeting the existing performance standard. However, the Salmonella prevalence in code “A” broiler carcass samples from very small establishments decreased from 37.2% in CY 2001 to 8.4% in CY 2002, well below the 20% baseline prevalence. For very small establishments, the CY 2002 Salmonella prevalence decreased in all tested product categories, as compared to CY 2001. The CY 2002 Salmonella prevalence in both ground beef and ground turkey decreased for all sizes of establishments, as compared to CY 2001.

The results of five years of testing show that the majority of completed code “A” sample sets met the Salmonella performance standard (Table A2). There were relatively small changes from CY 2001 to CY 2002 in the overall percentages (all sizes of establishments) of code “A” sample sets meeting the performance standards. The percentage of market hog “A” sets that passed increased for large, small, and very small establishments in CY 2002, as compared to CY 2001. A notable observation is that the percentage of broiler “A” sets that passed increased in very small establishments from 25.0% in CY 2001 to 62.5% in CY 2002. For large and small establishments, the percentage of sets passing either increased or remained about the same for all seven product categories.

Achieving a reduction in pathogens reduces the risk of illness. However, all segments of the food-production chain and consumers should continue to properly handle, cook, and store all meat, poultry, and other food products in order to guard against foodborne illness.

For More Information:

  • Media – (202) 720-9113
  • Congressional – (202) 720-3897
  • Constituent – (202) 720-9113
  • Consumer inquiries – Call USDA’s Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-800-535-4555.  The TTY number is 1-800-256-7072.
  • Technical inquires – Dr. Walter Hill, Office of Public Health and Science, Microbiology Division, (202) 690-6369
  • FSIS Web Site: http://www.fsis.usda.gov 

Table 1
Prevalence a of Salmonella in the PR/HACCP Verification Testing Program 
By Calendar Year, 1998 - 2002

"A" Sets

CY 2002
    Large Establishments Small Establishments Very Small Establishments Size Unknown Establishments All Sizes Establishments
Product Baseline Prevalence (%) # Samp % Pos # Samp % Pos # Samp % Pos # Samp % Pos # Samp % Pos
Broilers 20.0 6,247 10.9% 2,673 13.2% 263 8.4% 0   9,183 11.5%
Market Hogs 8.7 1,639 2.5% 1,717 3.9% 4,015 3.2% 108 0.9% 7,479 3.2%
Cows/Bulls 2.7 547 0.5% 2,506 1.4% 1,361 2.5% 0   4,414 1.7%
Steers/Heifers 1.0 1,775 0.2% 1,045 0.9% 1,735 0.1% 17 0.0% 4,572 0.3%
Ground Beef 7.5 740 2.8% 16,979 3.2% 13,187 1.7% 27 0.0% 30,933 2.6%
Ground Chicken 44.6 106 23.6% 323 31.0% 0   0   429 29.1%
Ground Turkey 49.9 746 17.4% 289 18.3% 40 22.5% 0   1,075 17.9%

 

CY 2001
    Large Establishments Small Establishments Very Small Establishments All Sizes Establishments
Product Baseline Prevalence (%) # Samp % Pos # Samp % Pos # Samp % Pos # Samp % Pos
Broilers 20.0 5,879 9.7% 2,684 13.0% 392 37.2% 8,955 11.9%
Market Hogs 8.7 1,419 1.6% 1,385 3.5% 5,286 4.4% 8,090 3.8%
Cows/Bulls 2.7 72 0.0% 1,045 1.3% 1,059 3.7% 2,176 2.4%
Steers/Heifers 1.0 58 0.0% 411 0.2% 1,226 0.8% 1,695 0.6%
Ground Beef 7.5 691 3.6% 11,749 3.5% 11,803 2.1% 24,243 2.8%
Ground Chicken 44.6 90 26.7% 131 16.8% 41 12.2% 262 19.5%
Ground Turkey 49.9 313 25.2% 144 27.1% 63 28.6% 520 26.2%

 

CY 2000
    Large Establishments Small Establishments Very Small Establishments All Sizes Establishments
Product Baseline Prevalence (%) # Samp % Pos # Samp % Pos # Samp % Pos # Samp % Pos
Broilers 20.0 7,175 7.5% 2,821 13.0% 61 18.0% 10,057 9.1%
Market Hogs 8.7 1,919 4.1% 2,144 7.7% 1,107 7.2% 5,170 6.2%
Cows/Bulls 2.7 173 0.6% 1,593 2.1% 229 3.5% 1,995 2.2%
Steers/Heifers 1.0 222 0.0% 693 0.6% 177 0.0% 1,092 0.4%
Ground Beef 7.5 1,373 5.4% 21,065 3.4% 10,406 2.7% 32,844 3.3%
Ground Chicken 44.6 169 12.4% 233 15.0% 12 8.3% 414 13.8%
Ground Turkey 49.9 1,173 26.5% 377 23.3% 1 0.0% 1,551 25.7%

 

CY 1999
    Large Establishments Small Establishments Very Small Establishments All Sizes Establishments
Product Baseline Prevalence (%) # Samp % Pos # Samp % Pos # Samp % Pos # Samp % Pos
Broilers 20.0 4,530 9.3% 2,238 15.6% 0 6,768 11.4%
Market Hogs 8.7 973 1.8% 950 18.0% 0 1,923 9.8%
Cows/Bulls 2.7 116 0.9% 1,405 2.3% 0 1,521 2.2%
Steers/Heifers 1.0 272 0.4% 510 0.2% 0 782 0.3%
Ground Beef 7.5 765 6.7% 15,610 4.2% 0 16,375 4.3%
Ground Chicken 44.6 125 15.2% 172 16.9% 0 297 16.2%
Ground Turkey 49.9 759 33.1% 291 27.8% 0 1,050 31.6%

 

CY 1998
    Large Establishments Small Establishments Very Small Establishments All Sizes Establishments
Product Baseline Prevalence (%) # Samp % Pos # Samp % Pos # Samp % Pos # Samp % Pos
Broilers 20.0 5,645 10.8% 14 7.1% 0 5,659 10.8%
Market Hogs 8.7 1,390 5.8% 0   0 1,390 5.8%
Cows/Bulls 2.7 58 0.0% 121 1.7% 0 179 1.1%
Steers/Heifers 1.0 214 0.0% 0   0 214 0.0%
Ground Beef 7.5 1,125 4.9% 171 16.4% 0 1,296 6.4%
Ground Chicken 44.6 24 4.2% 0   0 24 4.2%
Ground Turkey 49.9 591 36.5% 0   0 591 36.5%

 

All Years 1998 - 2002
    Large Establishments Small Establishments Very Small Establishments Size Unknown Establishments All Sizes Establishments
Product Baseline Prevalence (%) # Samp % Pos # Samp % Pos # Samp % Pos # Samp % Pos # Samp % Pos
Broilers 20.0 29,476 9.6% 10,430 13.6% 716 25.0% 0   40,622 10.9%
Market Hogs 8.7 7,340 3.3% 6,196 7.3% 10,408 4.3% 108 0.9% 24,052 4.7%
Cows/Bulls 2.7 966 0.5% 6,670 1.8% 2,649 3.1% 0   10,285 2.0%
Steers/Heifers 1.0 2,541 0.2% 2,659 0.6% 3,138 0.4% 17 0.0% 8,355 0.4%
Ground Beef 7.5 4,694 4.8% 65,574 3.6% 35,396 2.1% 27 0.0% 105,691 3.2%
Ground Chicken 44.6 514 17.5% 859 21.7% 53 11.3% 0   1,426 19.8%
Ground Turkey 49.9 3,582 27.6% 1,101 23.7% 104 26.0% 0   4,787 26.2%

a Prevalence estimates include all samples collected during the indicated calendar year.

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Table 2
Percent of Sample Sets Meeting the Salmonella Performance Standards b 
By Calendar Year, 1998 - 2002

"A" Sets

CY 2002

 

   Large Establishments Small Establishments Very Small Establishments Size Unknown Establishments All Sizes Establishments
Product Baseline Prevalence (%) # Sets % Pass # Sets % Pass # Sets % Pass # Sets % Pass # Sets % Pass
Broilers 20.0 124 90.3% 54 87.0% 8 62.5% 0   186 88.2%
Market Hogs 8.7 30 100.0% 33 100.00% 95 93.7% 1 100.0% 159 96.2%
Cows/Bulls 2.7 9 88.9% 42 85.7% 17 76.5% 0   68 83.8%
Steers/Heifers 1.0 18 100.0% 11 90.0% 13 76.9% 0   42 90.5%
Ground Beef 7.5 14 92.9% 354 92.7% 262 97.7% 2 100.0% 632 94.8%
Ground Chicken 44.6 2 100.0% 6 83.3% 0   0   8 87.5%
Ground Turkey 49.9 14 100.0% 4 100.0% 0   0   18 100.0%

 

CY 2001

 

   Large Establishments Small Establishments Very Small Establishments All Sizes Establishments
Product Baseline Prevalence (%) # Sets % Pass # Sets % Pass # Sets % Pass # Sets % Pass
Broilers 20.0 117 94.0% 49 89.8% 4 25.0% 170 91.2%
Market Hogs 8.7 25 96.0% 23 91.3% 49 77.6% 97 85.6%
Cows/Bulls 2.7 2 100.0% 15 93.3% 17 76.5% 34 85.3%
Steers/Heifers 1.0 1 100.0% 8 100.0% 4 100.0% 13 100.0%
Ground Beef 7.5 13 92.3% 200 94.0% 213 97.2% 426 95.5%
Ground Chicken 44.6 1 100.0% 4 100.0% 1 100.0% 6 100.0%
Ground Turkey 49.9 9 88.9% 6 100.0% 1 100.0% 16 93.8%

 

CY 2000

 

   Large Establishments Small Establishments Very Small Establishments All Sizes Establishments
Product Baseline Prevalence (%) # Sets % Pass # Sets % Pass # Sets % Pass # Sets % Pass
Broilers 20.0 137 96.4% 53 79.2% 0   190 91.6%
Market Hogs 8.7 32 93.8% 34 70.6% 0   66 81.8%
Cows/Bulls 2.7 2 100.0% 30 83.3% 0   32 84.4%
Steers/Heifers 1.0 3 100.0% 8 87.5% 0   11 90.9%
Ground Beef 7.5 27 81.5% 344 91.9% 75 90.7% 446 91.0%
Ground Chicken 44.6 3 100.0% 2 100.0% 0   5 100.0%
Ground Turkey 49.9 15 93.3% 2 50.0% 0   17 88.2%

 

CY 1999

 

   Large Establishments Small Establishments Very Small Establishments All Sizes Establishments
Product Baseline Prevalence (%) # Sets % Pass # Sets % Pass # Sets % Pass # Sets % Pass
Broilers 20.0 111 91.0% 40 85.0% 0 151 89.4%
Market Hogs 8.7 26 100.0% 12 50.0% 0 38 84.2%
Cows/Bulls 2.7 2 100.0% 17 76.5% 0 19 78.9%
Steers/Heifers 1.0 3 100.0% 3 100.0% 0 6 100.0%
Ground Beef 7.5 21 85.7% 252 87.3% 0 273 87.2%
Ground Chicken 44.6 2 100.0% 3 100.0% 0 5 100.0%
Ground Turkey 49.9 18 94.4% 5 80.0% 0 23 91.3%

 

CY 1998

 

   Large Establishments Small Establishments Very Small Establishments All Sizes Establishments
Product Baseline Prevalence (%) # Sets % Pass # Sets % Pass # Sets % Pass # Sets % Pass
Broilers 20.0 77 90.9% 0 0 77 90.9%
Market Hogs 8.7 16 68.8% 0 0 16 68.8%
Cows/Bulls 2.7 1 100.0% 0 0 1 100.0%
Steers/Heifers 1.0 1 100.0% 0 0 1 100.0%
Ground Beef 7.5 9 88.9% 0 0 9 88.9%
Ground Chicken 44.6 0   0 0 0  
Ground Turkey 49.9 7 85.7% 0 0 7 85.7%

 

All Years 1998 - 2002

 

   Large Establishments Small Establishments Very Small Establishments Size Unknown Establishments All Sizes Establishments
Product Baseline Prevalence (%) # Sets % Pass # Sets % Pass # Sets % Pass # Sets % Pass # Sets % Pass
Broilers 20.0 566 92.8% 196 85.2% 12 50.0% 0   774 90.2%
Market Hogs 8.7 129 93.8% 102 82.4% 144 88.2% 1 100.0% 376 88.6%
Cows/Bulls 2.7 16 93.8% 104 84.6% 34 76.5% 0   154 83.6%
Steers/Heifers 1.0 26 100.0% 30 93.3% 17 82.4% 0   73 93.2%
Ground Beef 7.5 84 86.9% 1,150 91.5% 550 96.5% 2 100.0% 1,786 92.8%
Ground Chicken 44.6 8 100.0% 15 93.3% 1 100.0% 0   24 95.8%
Ground Turkey 49.9 63 93.7% 17 88.2% 1 100.0% 0   81 92.5%

b Includes sample sets that completed during the indicated calendar year (sample sets may have started during an earlier year).

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