Operational guideline: Domestic poultry pathogen reduction programs

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1.0 Purpose

The purpose of this document is to provide guidance to Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) inspection staff the domestic Pathogen Reduction Monitoring Program for Salmonella and Campylobacter for raw poultry (PRMP) and Process Verification Monitoring Program for generic E. Coli – Biotype I for raw poultry (PVMP) implemented under sections 47 and 89 of the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations.

This document is intended to be used in conjunction with other guidance documents as referenced in Section 3.0.

The guidance outlined below should be used when conducting verification activities for domestic poultry pathogen reduction programs (PRMP and PVMP) in poultry slaughter establishments.

2.0 Authorities

The inspection powers, control actions and enforcement actions authorized by the above legislation are identified and explained in the Food regulatory response guidelines.

3.0 Reference documents

4.0 Definitions

Definitions are located in the documents listed below or as a defined word where it is intended to supersede the definitions within the glossary documents:

5.0 Acronyms

Acronyms are spelled out the first time they are used in this document and are consolidated in the Food business line acronyms list.

6.0 Operational Guideline

Licence holders must identify and analyze the biological hazards that present a risk of contamination of their food, and prevent, eliminate or reduce to an acceptable level the hazards identified by using control measures that are shown by evidence to be effective, including any treatment or process. PRMP and PVMP published by CFIA provide a means to verify that overall control measures are effective in reducing Salmonella and Campylobacter (pathogens) and contamination (generic E. Coli) in raw poultry and poultry products.

If the licence holder does not follow the CFIA guidance and presents a different means of meeting SFCR requirements, the inspection team should consult with CFIA specialists to verify the validity of the approach.

6.1 Prepare for inspection

Refer to section 6.1 of the Operational Guidance: Food Animal Slaughter – Preventive Control Inspection – Implementation Verification for more details on inspection preparation. In addition to the general guidance provided in the previous operational guidance, the following applies.

Use the following tasks to verify that the regulatory requirements for PRMP and PVMP are met:

For licence holders that implemented the United States of America (USA) pathogen reduction programs in 2023 use the following tasks to verify the USA requirements:

Perform the type of PCI-IV task corresponding to the program implemented by the licence holder. Both types of tasks will be performed if the licence holder is implementing both domestic and US programs. Refer to Program Direction: Preventive control inspection frequencies for food (accessible only on the Government of Canada network) for the frequencies of these tasks.

6.2 Conduct the inspection

Refer to section 6.2 of the Operational Guidance: Food Animal Slaughter – Preventive Control Inspection – Implementation Verification for more details on conducting the inspection. In addition to the general guidance provided in the previous operational guidance, the following applies.

6.2.1 Pathogen Reduction Monitoring Program (PRMP)

Implementation strategy for PRMP
Year Poultry slaughter establishments Further poultry processing only establishments
2023
  • Begin PRMP implementation by April 2023.
    • If producing chicken parts: licence holder has to initiate PRMP on chicken parts (Note: Chicken parts applies to young chicken only, fowl is excluded.)
    • If not producing chicken parts: licence holder has to initiate PRMP on carcasses or comminuted poultry
  • If licence holder already started sampling as per USA Annex U and U-1 in 2023, the licence holder will implement PRMP in 2024.
 CFIA will engage further poultry processing industry to implement PRMP in 2024.
Types and subtypes of poultry products in the scope of PRMP
Types Subtypes
Carcass Species and age of poultry (all species of poultry (chicken, turkeys, ducks, etc.) – young and mature are separate subtypes)
Note: Mature chicken includes heavy fowl and light fowl (layers).
Chicken parts: Legs, breast, wings Different kinds of leg, breast and wing products
Comminuted Chicken, Comminuted turkey Different kinds of comminuted chicken and turkey products (young and mature may be combined in one subtype).

Refer to section 7.3 of Industry Guidance - Pathogen Reduction Monitoring Program for Salmonella and Campylobacter for raw poultry for products out of scope.

PRMP sampling

The type and subtype of the carcass and comminuted poultry that is sampled should remain the same during 52 weeks of PRMP testing; however, chicken parts type and subtypes that are sampled will change during 52 weeks. Refer to section 8.3 of Industry Guidance - Pathogen Reduction Monitoring Program for Salmonella and Campylobacter for raw poultry for more details about the sampling.

During sample collection, the licence holder will:

  • collect carcass by taking 1 sample once during any production shift
  • collect carcass parts by taking 1 sample once during any production shift
  • collect comminuted poultry by taking multiple subsamples throughout various production shifts in a day to make a composite sample
PRMP sampling scenarios and yearly rotation of series
Scenarios and rotation Scenarios Testing
Single PRMP "type" production scenarios - rotation of types does not apply Poultry carcasses (one species)
  • Weekly testing (may use 52 weeks "moving window" for assessment of test results)
  • Rotation of types and subtypes does not apply
Single PRMP "type" production scenarios - rotation of types does not apply Poultry carcasses (multiple species)
  • Weekly testing on subtype 1 (highest volume) for 52 weeks
  • Weekly testing on subtype 2 (second highest volume) for 52 weeks
  • Weekly testing on subtype 3 (third highest volume) for 52 weeks
  • Rotation of subtypes applies (after all species are tested, start again from species 1)

Note: Volume is an inherent risk factor in the establishment. The higher the volume of production of a product, the higher the risk to the consumer.
Single PRMP "type" production scenarios - rotation of types does not apply Poultry carcasses and carcass parts other than chicken parts
  • Refer to "poultry carcasses (one species)" or "poultry carcasses (multiple species)" scenario above
  • Carcass parts from poultry species other than chicken are currently "out of scope" of PRMP
Single PRMP "type" production scenarios - rotation of types does not apply Poultry carcasses of young and mature chicken or turkeys or ducks, or a combination of these species
  • Refer to "poultry carcasses (multiple species)" scenario above
  • Young chicken, mature chicken, young turkey, mature turkey, young duck, mature duck are different subtypes and are tested separately for 52 weeks
Two PRMP "type" production scenarios - rotation of types applies Poultry carcasses and chicken parts
  • Weekly testing of chicken parts for 52 weeks
  • Weekly testing on poultry carcasses for 52 weeks
  • Rotate between chicken parts and poultry carcasses
Two PRMP "type" production scenarios - rotation of types applies Poultry carcasses and comminuted poultry (chicken or turkey, or both species)
  • Weekly testing of poultry carcasses for 52 weeks
  • Weekly testing of comminuted chicken or turkey for 52 weeks
  • Rotate between poultry carcasses and comminuted poultry
Three PRMP "type" production scenario - rotation of types applies Poultry carcasses, chicken parts and comminuted poultry (chicken or turkey, or both species)
  • Weekly testing of chicken parts for 52 weeks
  • Weekly testing on comminuted chicken or turkey for 52 weeks
  • Weekly testing on poultry carcasses for 52 weeks
  • Rotate between chicken parts, comminuted poultry and poultry carcasses

Low volume production scenarios:

6.2.2 PVMP

Whole carcasses of all poultry species are within the scope of the PVMP, which means that all poultry species must be sampled and tested.

Only turkeys, ducks, geese and guineas require one test per 3000 carcasses. Rest of the species can be tested once per 22 000 carcasses. This is different from the "Table 1: Sampling frequency for generic E. Coli" in Industry Guidance - Process Verification Monitoring Program for generic E. Coli – Biotype I for raw poultry, but Policy and Programs Branch (PPB) has allowed the industry to use this standard. The Industry Guidance - Process Verification Monitoring Program for generic E. Coli – Biotype I for raw poultry will be amended later to reflect this.

The licence holder must keep separate PVMP log for each poultry species; in addition they should keep separate logs for:

  • young and mature turkey
  • young and mature duck
  • light and heavy fowl

Note: For chicken logs, broilers and roasters can be combined to assess PVMP.

6.2.3 Determine compliance

This section provides information on the inspection activities CFIA inspector will carry out in relation to the PRMP and PVMP, specifically, with respect to assessing the licence holder's compliance with the SFCR. If the operator does not follow the CFIA domestic poultry pathogen reduction programs as published and presents a different means of meeting SFCR requirements, the inspection team should consult with CFIA specialists to verify the validity of the approach.

If there is a non-compliance with SFCR 89 (for example, missing components of the written Preventative Control Plan (PCP) related to the content described in section 89), SFCR 86 should also be referenced in the same non-compliance record as that is the regulation which actually requires the licence holder to have a PCP that meets the provisions of SFCR 8.

6.2.3.1 Identification of biological hazards by the operator

It is a non-compliance to SFCR 47(1) when:

  • Salmonella and Campylobacter are not identified as a biological hazard
6.2.3.2 Preparation, retention and maintenance of a written PCP by the licence holder

It is a non-compliance to SFCR 86(1) when, for example:

  • the licence holder does not include all products in the scope of the PVMP or PRMP in the PCP
  • the licence holder does not update their PCP for a new product included in the scope of the PVMP or PRMP
6.2.3.3 Implementation of the written PCP by the licence holder

It is a non-compliance to SFCR 88 when:

  • the licence holder does not implement their PCP as intended

If there is a non-compliance with SFCR 88, SFCR 86 must also be referenced in the same non-compliance record as that is the regulation which actually requires the licence holder to implement their PCP.

6.2.3.4 Description of the biological hazards identified under 47(1), of the control measures to prevent, eliminate or reduce hazards to an acceptable level and of the evidence that the control measures are effective in the licence holder written PCP

Examples of control measures are feed withdrawal, sanitary dressing procedures, contamination control, antimicrobial intervention, Critical Control Points (CCP), Evisceration standards, chilling process, etc.

It is a non-compliance to SFCR 47 (2) and 89(1)(c)(i) when:

  • the licence holder's PCP does not describe Salmonella and Campylobacter as biological hazards
  • the licence holder's PCP does not describe control measures to prevent, eliminate, or reduce biological hazards of Salmonella and Campylobacter to an acceptable level
  • the licence holder's PCP does not describe control measures to prevent, eliminate, or reduce contamination (generic E. Coli - Biotype 1) to an acceptable level
  • the licence holder's PCP does not describe PRMP and PVMP as evidence showing the control measures are effective and the licence holder did not present an acceptable different means of meeting SFCR requirements
    Note: The licence holder may opt to implement an alternate program in place of PRMP or PVMP. The inspection team should consult with CFIA specialists to verify the validity of the approach, the information provided should include the rationale provided by the licence holder.
  • the licence holder's PCP does not follow the CFIA domestic poultry pathogen reduction programs, and the licence holder did not present an acceptable different means of meeting SFCR requirements, for example:
    • the licence holder uses other organisms as indicators but does not provide acceptable rationale
    • the licence holder does not provide an acceptable rationale to demonstrate that a product is out of the scope of the PVMP or PRMP:
      • if the product is sent to another federally licenced establishment for Ready-to-Eat (RTE) food production, verify that the licence holder's PCP includes evidence that product is sent to RTE establishment (a letter of guarantee is acceptable as evidence)
      • if the product volume does not meet the PRMP criteria, verify the licence holder's production volume records for that product demonstrate that the production volume is less than the minimum volume required to implement the PRMP for that product
      • if certain species produced by the licence holder are not sampled for the PVMP, verify the rationale provided by the licence holder (why the hazards are not likely to occur in a particular class of poultry slaughtered at the establishment)

Note: When a non-compliance is observed on control measures as feed withdrawal, sanitary dressing, contamination control, antimicrobial intervention, CCP, evisceration standards, etc., add the appropriate implementation verification or sub-element task to the scope of the inspection case for which the trigger will be "Incident response". Refer to section 6.2.1 and Annex 1 of Operational guideline – Food preventive control and traceability inspection – Compliance verification of a system, Appendix 1 – Poultry and Rabbit Slaughter PCI Operational Guidance and Appendix 1 – Poultry and Rabbit Slaughter PCI Implementation Verification Tasks for more details on the PCI tasks.

6.2.3.5 Procedures to verify that the implementation of the PCP ensures compliance with the regulatory provisions in the licence holder's written PCP

It is a non-compliance to SFCR 89(1)(c)(vi) when:

  • the licence holder's PCP does not describe verification activities (on-site observation, interview, written PCP and record review), including activities to verify that PRMP and PVMP are implemented as written and are effective in meeting the prescribed standards (including verification of effectiveness of corrective actions)

Note: Trend analysis and proactive corrective action before series failure (PRMP) or loss of process control (PVMP) as well as the assessment of microbial staging at different production steps is not a regulatory requirement unless the licence holder has included them in their written PCP as procedures to verify regulatory compliance with the SFCR.

6.2.3.6 Documents that substantiate that the licence holder's PCP has been implemented with respect to 89(1)(c)(i) to (vi)

It is a non-compliance to SFCR 89(1)(c)(vii) when the records or documents do not demonstrate that:

  • the monitoring or verification activities have been implemented
  • the corrective actions (including preventive actions) bring hazards back in control
  • the effectiveness of the corrective actions have been evaluated

6.2.4 Failure of PRMP series or PVMP process out of control

When the process is out of control (failure of a PRMP series or results do not meet PVMP criteria):

Important points to consider when assessing compliance:
  • PRMP process is deemed out of control when the results do not meet the end cycle performance standards
  • PVMP process is deemed out of control when the results do not meet PVMP criteria; this is a non-compliance if:
    • the results are consistently exceeding the PVMP standards and the licence holder does not implement corrective action(s)
    • the licence holder takes the same corrective action each time the process is out of control and the implemented corrective actions do not prevent future PVMP failure
  • Positive trends (repetitive processes out of control) indicate a strong likelihood of serious shortcomings in the licence holder's PCP(s) for the class of the product sampled (for example, process control, monitoring, corrective action implementation, verification).
    Note: The process controls and consequently the pathogen reduction process are expected to have some instances when the process is out of control. When positive trends are observed, verify the rationale provided by the licence holder. For example, if it was actually a positive trend or not, and if it was related to delay in verification of effectiveness of corrective actions due to valid reasons.
  • When reviewing if the licence holder is effectively able to identify non-compliances, bring hazards back into control and prevent re-occurrence, verify the licence holder has:
    • identified the root cause of the failure
    • implemented effective corrective actions (including preventive actions) to bring hazards back in control
    • evaluated the effectiveness of the corrective action
  • Consider to include subject matter experts, such as Regional Veterinary Officer, in your inspection team to perform specific functions or provide additional support

6.3 Communicate the inspection results

Refer to section 6.3 of the Operational Guidance: Food Animal Slaughter – Preventive Control Inspection – Implementation Verification for more details on reporting results.

6.4 Conduct the follow-up inspection

Refer to section 6.4 of the Operational Guidance: Food Animal Slaughter – Preventive Control Inspection – Implementation Verification for more details on conducting the follow-up inspection.

7.0 Report on Industry Results for Pathogen Reduction Performance Standards

The local CFIA is requested to forward all PRMP test results to the CFIA Science Branch (use the email address: PRPS-NRRP@inspection.gc.ca) for the following reporting periods within one month of the end of the reporting period:

  • April 1 to June 30
  • July 1 to September 30
  • October 1 to December 31
  • January 1 to March 31

The PRMP data collection spreadsheet PRMP Poultry Template (accessible only on the Government of Canada network RDIMS 19004361) has to be used and can be populate by CFIA or the licence holder.

For inquiries related to this Operational Guidance Document, please follow established communication channels, including submitting an electronic Request for Action Form (e-RAF) (accessible only on the Government of Canada network).

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