Interim performance standard for chicken parts, comminuted chicken and comminuted turkey

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Keep in mind: the Pathogen Reduction Monitoring Program (PRMP) will be launched on March 1, 2023. The results will support the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) in developing Canadian performance standards. All Safe Food for Canadians (SFC) licence holders who are both slaughtering poultry and producing chicken parts are expected to begin implementation by April 1, 2023. SFC licence holders who are only further processing poultry carcasses and chicken parts will be expected to initiate implementation by 2024. A similar staged approach will be taken for SFC licence holders who are producing raw comminuted poultry in 2024.

1. Introduction

This document provides help to food businesses to determine their level of control by providing interim performance standards for Pathogen Reduction Monitoring Program (PRMP) for Salmonella and Campylobacter for raw chicken parts, comminuted chicken and comminuted turkey.

The interim performance standards will be used as the recommended benchmark pending collection and analysis of industry data to develop Canadian PRMP Performance Standards.

2. Purpose

The interim performance standards may be used as interim targets for Preventive Control Plan (PCP) for Pathogen Reduction Monitoring Program (PRMP).

Food businesses producing chicken parts are recommended to use these interim performance standards to determine performance of their PCP during the initial launch period of PRMP, which is expected to last up to 18 months.

3. Key sections of the interim criteria

The interim standards are based on the statistical analysis of industry data over the past 5 years collected by Canadian Poultry and Egg Processor's Council (CPEPC). The interim standards are compared with the United Stated Department of Agriculture – Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA-FSIS) Salmonella/Campylobacter performance standards.

Table 1: Standard rate of positive results
Product type Canadian industry performance (expressed in percent) USDA – FSIS
(expressed in percent)
Salmonella spp. Campylobacter spp. Salmonella spp. Campylobacter spp.
Parts - Chicken 18.2 25.2 15.4 7.7
Comminuted chicken 19.6 10 25.0 1.9
Comminuted turkeys 24.2 No data 13.5 1.9
Table 2: End cycle performance standard
Product type Canadian industry performance USDA – FSIS
  Salmonella spp. Campylobacter spp. Salmonella spp. Campylobacter spp.
Parts - Chicken 9 of 52 13 of 52 8 of 52 4 of 52
Comminuted chicken 10 of 52 5 of 52 13 of 52 1 of 52
Comminuted turkeys 13 of 52 No data 7 of 52 1 of 52

4. Interim compliance criteria

Through applying process controls, SFC licence holders should aim to lower rates of contamination over time, and maintain contamination rates at a low level. Use the following table to assess your process controls and make improvements towards lower contamination rates.

Table 3: PRMP process control

If your results are better than USDA and Canadian industry performance
Process is under control
If your results are between USDA and Canadian industry performance
Improve process controls
If your results do not meet neither USDA or Canadian industry performance
Process is deemed out of control and you need to determine and implement appropriate corrective action(s).

5. Data collection for developing Canadian performance standards

After 52 weeks testing, you will collate and submit data to the CFIA for analysis. CFIA intends to use this data to develop Canadian PRMP performance standards.

References

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