Month: January 2011

To further reduce Salmonella and Campylobacter in poultry, USDA/FSIS has proposed new performance standards for these pathogens. Prior to the new policies, establishments were expected to achieve less than 20% Salmonella positives on chilled carcasses, and there were no requirements for testing Campylobacter. In 2008, USDA/FSIS began placing poultry facilities into categories based on their history of Salmonella testing, with the overall goal of further reducing Salmonella levels. …

After more than a year of fine-tuning, the criteria for earning a Magen Tzedek, the seal of justice to be awarded to kosher food producers that meet a detailed set of ethical standards, are about to be tested by American food companies. The seal would be added to products that already merit a hekhsher, or symbol certifying that a food item is kosher, to show that the product not only meets Jewish dietary laws, but comports with Jewish moral values, as well. …

A new National Research Council report finds no scientific basis that more stringent testing of meat purchased through the government’s ground beef purchase program and distributed to various federal food and nutrition programs — including the National School Lunch Program — would lead to safer meat. …

Hog and pork prices are expected to launch to record highs in 2011 due to a combination of high demand, high feed costs, and a smaller herd. “Foreign buyers are expected to elevate pork exports by 10 percent,” said Chris Hurt, a Purdue University Extension economist. …