USDA to Increase Inspections at Meat Plants Following Listeria Outbreaks
The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced on Tuesday that it will be enhancing inspections at meat plants in response to a series of listeria outbreaks earlier this year. These outbreaks revealed significant safety deficiencies at food processing facilities.
The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service will prioritize conducting food safety assessments at ready-to-eat meat and poultry facilities in fiscal year 2025. This will particularly focus on facilities that rely solely on sanitation measures to control Listeria.
Starting January 2025, the agency will expand testing for a wider range of listeria species in all meat samples. Inspectors will also gather data from facilities weekly to identify specific risk factors and determine if further action is necessary.
Deadly Listeria Outbreaks Prompt Recalls of Meat and Poultry Products
A series of deadly listeria outbreaks this year has resulted in recalls of millions of pounds of ready-to-eat meat and poultry products. Yu Shang Food Inc. recently recalled products after two infants died and 17 individuals were hospitalized from a listeria outbreak. The CDC expanded the number of cases linked to the outbreak after discovering a second strain of listeria.
In a separate incident, BrucePac Foods recalled over 12 million pounds of processed chicken due to listeria concerns. While no deaths were reported in connection with BrucePac products, the lack of traceability made it challenging for the USDA to quickly identify affected items.
Following these outbreaks, FSIS has identified several improvements that can be swiftly implemented. In addition to increased oversight at ready-to-eat meat plants, the agency plans to enhance inspector training and establish a new committee to review its regulatory approach to listeria.
FSIS will also update its monthly list of facilities with higher rates of noncompliance related to public health, enabling better identification of high-risk plants.
“These measures are sensible enhancements to our operations that will bolster our food safety efforts as we continue to align with the latest science and practices,” said Dr. Emilio Esteban, USDA Under Secretary for Food Safety.