A study published in this month’s Journal of Food Protection concluded that regardless of the sluggish economy that chicken processors are still keeping Salmonella under control. This study evaluated 182 federally-inspected chicken processing facilities between 2007 and 2009 to detect any relationship between financial performance and FSIS test results for Salmonella. The researchers theorized that in times of financial hardship poultry companies may alter their food safety interventions in an attempt to save money but this study proves the speculation is inaccurate. However, the researchers concluded that poultry processing establishments still spend money to implement and maintain food safety practices regardless of the financial climate.
“Our study found that even those establishments under financial stress were implementing food safety practices sufficient to control Salmonella contamination, which may address some concerns about the effects of the economy on safety measures in food production,” said Mary K. Muth, director of RTI’s Food and Nutrition Policy Research Program, and the study’s lead author.
Details on the research study can be found here.
