Updates Announced in FSIS Guideline to Control Salmonella in Swine Slaughter and Pork Processing

The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) recently announced updates to its voluntary guideline for federally regulated swine slaughter and pork processing establishments to control Salmonella in market hogs from pre-harvest through slaughter, says a release.

This guideline contains information to assist swine slaughter establishments to safely slaughter swine and process raw pork products to meet FSIS regulations, says the document. It also discusses best practice recommendations by FSIS, based on the best scientific and practical considerations, and is derived from scientific literature.

In response to comments on the previous guideline, updates include the addition of current, peer-reviewed scientific references related to pre-harvest controls, swine slaughter, processing of pork cuts and comminuted pork products.

Information has been added regarding pre-harvest controls, including farm rearing, multi-hurdle interventions, transport and lairage. 

Specifically, best practice recommendations for pork fabrication controls, including processing and packaging controls for pork cuts and comminuted pork products, have also been included.

The guidelines now also include pork product outbreak history, FSIS data collection and FSIS pork sampling information, hot shipping best practices and lymph node removal best practices.

The updated FSIS Guideline to Control Salmonella in Swine Slaughter and Pork Processing Establishments guideline can be found at the FSIS website.