USDA Proposes Stricter Salmonella Limits for Poultry
The Food Safety and Inspection Service's proposed rule would bar raw poultry products containing Salmonella from entering commerce.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Organic Food
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Would you accept higher chicken prices for stricter Salmonella standards?
The USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service has issued a proposed rule to reduce Salmonella in raw poultry products. FSIS data shows Salmonella contamination in poultry has been decreasing, but an observed reduction in Salmonella illnesses has not occurred.
Why it matters
FSIS describes the proposal as the result of a three-year effort to reevaluate its strategy for controlling Salmonella rates in poultry. Industry groups have raised concerns about the rule, which would apply to raw chicken and turkey products across the United States.
The proposal sets a threshold of 10 colony forming units per gram/ml for Salmonella in raw chicken carcasses, chicken parts, ground chicken, and ground turkey. Comments on the proposed rule must be received within 60 days after publication in the Federal Register.
The players
Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS)
The USDA agency responsible for ensuring the safety of meat, poultry, and egg products sold in the United States.
National Chicken Council
A trade association representing the U.S. chicken industry on legislative and regulatory matters.
National Turkey Federation
An industry trade group representing turkey producers, which has contributed industry data to FSIS on this rule.
The details
The proposed framework would prevent raw chicken carcasses, chicken parts, ground chicken, and ground turkey containing Salmonella at or above the threshold, or any detectable level of certain serotypes of public health significance, from entering commerce. It would also require poultry establishments to develop microbial monitoring programs to prevent pathogen contamination throughout the slaughter system.
Timeline
Three-year period: FSIS reevaluated its Salmonella control strategy before the proposal.
November 3, 2026: FSIS issued the proposed Salmonella poultry rule.
60 days after Federal Register publication: Deadline for public comments on the proposed rule.
Culture Shift
The proposal moves FSIS from process-based Salmonella controls toward binding final product standards for raw poultry sold in the United States. It follows a multi-year reassessment of the agency's Salmonella control strategy.
The proposal could significantly raise the price of chicken, which would affect household grocery budgets. Consumers buying raw chicken or ground turkey may see changes in product availability if contaminated lots are kept out of commerce.
The takeaway
Watch for the comment period deadline if you want to weigh in on the rule. Keeping raw poultry chilled and cooking it thoroughly remains the practical way to reduce Salmonella risk at home.
What happens next
Public comments on the proposed rule are due within 60 days after its publication in the Federal Register.
Further reading
Explore more in Organic Food, where readers can follow related developments in food safety and poultry production.
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Would you accept higher chicken prices for stricter Salmonella standards?
