September 3, 2013

The USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) re-affirmed on Friday (Aug 30) the equivalence of the food safety inspection system for processed poultry in the People's Republic of China (PRC).

This will enable the PRC to certify plants to export processed poultry product to the US. While the PRC received approval to export processed poultry products to the US, the raw poultry used for these products must originate in the US or Canada.  As of this announcement, no companies in the PRC are certified to export processed poultry to the US.

FSIS is currently auditing the PRC's slaughter inspection system. At this time, no chickens raised or slaughtered in the PRC can be shipped to the US.

FSIS utilises a comprehensive, three-part system for both establishing initial equivalence and ensuring the on-going equivalence of countries that export regulated products to the US. A foreign country's inspection system must ensure that establishments preparing poultry products for import into the US comply with requirements equivalent to those in the Poultry Products Inspection Act (PPIA) and in FSIS regulations.

Once a country's inspection system is granted equivalence, FSIS conducts periodic verification reviews and audits of exporting establishments. In addition, products undergo re-inspection at US ports-of-entry to check for proper certification, labelling, transportation damage and general condition. Selected shipments are subject to additional re-inspection procedures, including examinations for product defects and laboratory analyses to detect harmful chemical residues or pathogen testing appropriate for the products. FSIS performs increased import re-inspection activities for countries that are beginning to export product to the US.