The guideline covers pre-harvest controls, including farm rearing, multi-hurdle interventions, transport and lairage.

June 2, 2023

1 Min Read
FSIS updates guideline for controlling salmonella in pork processing
National Pork Board

The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service has updated its guideline for pork producers on controlling Salmonella in swine from pre-harvest through slaughter. The guideline covers pre-harvest controls, including farm rearing, multi-hurdle interventions, transport and lairage. It also contains slaughter control recommendations and covers pork fabrication controls, including processing, packaging and distribution controls for pork cuts and comminuted pork products.

On January 6, 2014, FSIS announced in the Federal Register the availability of the Compliance Guideline for Controlling Salmonella in Market Hogs (79 FR 633). The guideline provided information on best practices that may be applied at a hog slaughter facility to prevent, eliminate or reduce levels of Salmonella on hogs at all stages of slaughter and dressing. The guideline was designed to help hog slaughter establishments comply with the relevant regulatory requirements.

When FSIS announced the availability of the guidance, the agency also requested comments on the guidance. FSIS received six comments on the guidance, one from a pork producer, one from an individual, and four from trade associations representing the pork industry.

After review and consideration of all comments received, FSIS has made the following changes and clarified certain aspects of the guideline:

  • Changed the document title to FSIS Guideline to Control Salmonella in Swine Slaughter and Pork Processing Establishments.

  • Removed the word "compliance’" from the document title and throughout the guideline to clarify that it does not create new regulatory requirements.

  • Updated the document to add relevant, current, peer-reviewed scientific references related to swine slaughter, processing of pork cuts and comminuted pork products.

  • Updated the pre-harvest interventions to include vaccine and bacteriophage interventions, housing and biosecurity, and water and feed management.

  • Included a pork products outbreak history. 

  • Added a policy background section. 

  • Included FSIS data collection and FSIS pork sampling information. 

  • Added information regarding hot shipping best practices. 

  • Added a lymph node removal best practices section. 

  • Removed language related to the Trichina guidance, new technologies guidance and validation guidance information, because FSIS has separate guidance for these topics.

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