USDA Announces New Poultry Inspection Rule

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) published its final rule on poultry inspections last Thursday. Known as the Modernization of Poultry Slaughter Inspection, it's designed to reduce the risk of foodborne illness in poultry facilities.

This is the first major change made to poultry facility inspections in over half a century, and proponents say it could prevent approximately 5,000 illnesses each year.

According to the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly 48 million people in the U.S. succumb to a foodborne illness each year, resulting in 128,000 hospitalizations and 3,000 deaths. The USDA hopes to lower these numbers by implementing the Modernization of Poultry Slaughter Inspection rule.

So, what exactly does this new rule entitle? It focuses on two main areas, one of which is requiring all poultry processing facilities to engage in additional microbiological testing. In order words, testing for salmonella, E.coli and other foodborne illness will be done more frequently and in greater depth. Inspectors must also go through additional training before they are allowed to inspect poultry facilities. All new and existing poultry facilities must abide by the USDA's microbiological testing rules.

The second part of the USDA's rule is an "optional" New Poultry Inspection System (NPIS). This rule would require poultry facilities to pull chicks out for individual inspections. Under the current standards, inspectors typically stand back to view the chickens collectively, which doesn't always reveal underlying health problems and diseases. If the facility chooses to opt in to the NPIS, inspectors could request to see chickens up close, checking them for signs of disease and/or illness.

While the microbiological testing part of the USDA's new rule is mandatory, the second part -- the NPIS -- is optional. Some of the nation's largest poultry companies have already pledged to follow the NPIS, but smaller companies are likely to opt out of the program.

"USDA is to be commended for standing up for food safety in the face of significant pressure," said  Brandenberger of the National Turkey Federation Presiden. "It [the rule] provides additional tools to plants and federal inspectors to verify that plant food-safety programs are protecting against foodborne illness," he added.

But not everyone is optimistic about the FDA's new poultry inspection rule. Critics say it could have the opposite effect by placing fewer inspectors in poultry facilities, which subsequently would increase the risk of foodborne illness.