USDA launches Salmonella pilot project for raw poultry plants
Establishments can choose biomapping or critical control points
13 July 2026
1 minute read
By: The US Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service has announced a new pilot project allowing raw poultry establishments to measure Salmonella levels throughout their slaughter and processing operations.
Participating establishments may choose to conduct biomapping across their processes or implement one or more validated critical control points in their hazard analysis and critical control point plans to prevent, reduce or eliminate Salmonella.
Establishments may also request a regulatory waiver for the frequency of microbiological sampling for chicken and turkey carcasses. A biomapping programme may support a waiver request for reduced sampling at pre- and post-chill locations, with all biomapping data points required to include Salmonella enumeration. The pilot was announced on June 26, 2026.
