This notice is for Safe Food for Canadians (SFC) licence holders who slaughter poultry and produce chicken parts. It provides an update on the next steps you have to take for the Pathogen Reduction Monitoring Program for raw poultry.
Background
In 2023, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) launched the Pathogen Reduction Monitoring Program for Salmonella and Campylobacter for raw poultry. The results from this program will support the CFIA as it develops Canadian performance standards.
All Safe Food for Canadians (SFC) licence holders who both slaughter poultry and produce chicken parts were expected to begin implementing this program by April 1, 2023. SFC licence holders who are only further processing poultry carcasses and chicken parts were expected to start implementing it by 2024. In 2024, a similar staged approach was to be taken for SFC licence holders who are producing raw comminuted poultry.
What licence holders need to do
This section outlines what Safe Food for Canadians (SFC) licence holders are required to do at this stage.
If you achieved performance standards for carcass parts and are producing raw comminuted poultry, you should start testing these products in 2024.
If your results for carcass parts, comminuted poultry and carcasses did not meet performance criteria, but you have implemented corrective actions and the corrective actions assessment says you need more time, you should focus your effort on achieving the performance criteria for carcass parts, comminuted poultry and carcasses. During this focused period, the CFIA will not require rotation to the next type and subtype of poultry products.
If you are only further processing poultry carcasses and chicken parts, this will be included in the program later in 2025, but you are welcome to start chicken parts monitoring and provide the collected data to your local CFIA office. This will support the work to develop the Canadian performance standards.
If you are testing product types and subtypes for which no Canadian interim performance standard exists, you should test and submit test results to your local CFIA office. This data will support the work to develop the Canadian performance standards.
The CFIA will continue to consult with industry and trading partners on next steps, so that the Pathogen Reduction Monitoring Program is effectively implemented.
Supporting information
- Annex – Sampling procedures for Salmonella spp. and Campylobacter spp. in raw poultry
- Interim performance standard for chicken parts, comminuted chicken and comminuted turkey
Questions
For more information, contact the CFIA Meat Hygiene Program.
