December 23, 2024

 

USDA strengthens inspections following listeria outbreaks

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced plans to enhance inspections at meat and poultry processing facilities following several listeria outbreaks this year.

 

The outbreaks highlighted critical safety flaws in food processing and prompted the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) to act to better protect public health.

 

The FSIS will prioritise in-depth food safety reviews at ready-to-eat meat and poultry facilities during the 2025 fiscal year. These reviews will focus on facilities that rely solely on sanitation measures to control listeria. Starting in January 2025, the agency will also broaden its testing scope to include a wider range of listeria species in all meat samples.

 

In addition, FSIS inspectors will collect weekly data from facilities to verify specific risk factors and determine if further action is necessary. This effort is part of a series of measures aimed at addressing gaps in food safety exposed by the outbreaks.

 

Deadly listeria outbreaks earlier this year led to recalls involving millions of pounds of meat and poultry products. The most recent outbreak linked to Yu Shang Food Inc. resulted in two infant deaths and 17 hospitalisations. On December 5, 2024, the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) expanded the number of cases tied to the outbreak after identifying a second strain of listeria.

 

Earlier in the year, BrucePac Foods recalled over 12 million pounds of processed chicken used in salad kits and other products due to listeria concerns. Although no deaths were reported in connection with BrucePac products, inadequate traceability complicated the USDA's efforts to identify which items were affected by the outbreak.

 

In response to these events, FSIS reviewed its systems and identified several areas for improvement. Alongside increased oversight at ready-to-eat meat facilities, the agency will update training for inspectors and form a new committee to evaluate its regulatory approach to listeria.

 

The FSIS also plans to revise its monthly list of facilities with higher rates of noncompliance on public health issues. These changes aim to better identify high-risk plants and prioritise resources accordingly.

 

"These steps are common sense improvements to our work that will strengthen our food safety net as we continue improving the agency's work to align with the best available science and practices," said Dr Emilio Esteban, USDA Under Secretary for Food Safety, in a statement.

 

-      Agriculture Dive