Pathogen Reduction Monitoring Program for Salmonella and Campylobacter for raw poultry

On this page

• 1. Introduction
• 2. Purpose
• 3. What is included
• 4. Roles and responsibilities
• 5. Definitions
• 6. Key sections of the written program
• 7. Poultry products subject to the Pathogen Reduction Monitoring Program
  • 7.1 General considerations
  • 7.2 Product types and sub-types within scope
  • 7.3 Product types out of scope
  • 7.4 Production volume as it relates to the pathogen reduction monitoring program
• 8.0 Sampling
  • 8.1 Sampling location
  • 8.2 Sample size and test frequency
  • 8.3 Selecting for single or multiple types of raw poultry products
• 9. Trend analysis and Pathogen Reduction Monitoring Program performance assessment
  • 9.1 Trend analysis
  • 9.2 End cycle assessment
  • 9.3 Moving window approach for 52 tests
• 10. Corrective action procedure
• 11. Records

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

There is a significant burden of illness in Canada from foodborne salmonellosis and campylobacteriosis. Both epidemiological evidence end expert opinion recognize poultry and poultry derived products as an important source of these illnesses.

Salmonella and Campylobacter are known to occur naturally in live poultry and contamination may occur at any stage of the farm-to fork production. Accordingly, food businesses that slaughter poultry or process poultry products need to consider Salmonella and Campylobacter as hazards of concern to their products and implement control measures throughout their production process to mitigate risks. Food businesses can verify the efficacy of their control measures, such as sanitary dressing procedures and antimicrobial interventions by implementing the PRMP.

2. Purpose

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) developed PRMP to help food businesses comply with section 47 and subparagraph 89(1)(c)(i) of the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations (SFCR).

Safe Food for Canadians (SFC) licence holders must identify and analyze the biological, chemical and physical 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 provides a means to verify that overall control measures are effective in reducing Salmonella and Campylobacter contamination in raw poultry and poultry products to maximum pathogen limits described herein.

This guidance document  is based upon best practices from the following:

• national and international microbiological baseline surveys
• Canadian Salmonella Enteritidis initiatives led by Health Canada and Public Health Agency of Canada
• Pathogen reduction – Salmonella and Campylobacter Performance Standards Verification Testing developed by the United Stated Department of Agriculture – Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA-FSIS) for US meat licensed operators, and
• Canadian meat licence holder test results performed as part of the domestic pathogen performance standards program implemented since 2017, and the US Export requirements before that

You may use other sampling and testing procedures developed by provincial counterparts, industry associations, international partners or academic bodies as long as they can achieve the same outcome. Always ensure that the guidance you use is tailored for your particular business, product or products, and market requirements. Ensure to have the proposal verified by CFIA for foreign country equivalency assessment.

3. What is included

This document provides means to demonstrate the effectiveness of the control measures in your preventive control plan (PCP) for Salmonella spp. and Campylobacter spp. in key products and evaluating performance using pre-validated performance standard.

4. Roles and responsibilities

Food businesses are responsible for complying with the law. They demonstrate compliance by ensuring that the commodities and processes for which they are responsible meet regulatory requirements. If a written PCP is required, the food business develops a PCP with supporting documents, monitors and maintains evidence of its implementation, and verifies that all control measures are effective.

CFIA verifies the compliance of a food business by conducting activities that include inspection and surveillance. When a non-compliance is identified, the CFIA takes appropriate compliance and enforcement actions.

The CFIA may request SFC licence holders to modify their monitoring procedures to ensure that effectiveness of processes can be continually demonstrated.

5. Definitions

The following definitions apply in this document:

Pathogen Reduction Monitoring Program is a set of monitoring activities that verify the effectiveness of control measures to prevent, eliminate or reduce biological hazards to an acceptable level.

Performance standard is a microbiological criterion used to measure the effectiveness of a process to prevent, reduce or eliminate biological hazards.

Raw poultry carcass is a whole poultry carcass which has not been cooked.

Raw poultry parts are carcass parts which have not been cooked.

Raw comminuted poultry refers to mechanically separated, flaked, ground and other similarly processed poultry products that have not been cooked.

Type of poultry refers to a poultry product with similar characteristics such as:

• carcasses (by species)
• parts (legs, breasts, wings)
• comminuted (ground chicken, mechanically separated meat (MSM), finely textured meat (FTM), other comminuted)

Sub types of poultry refers to types of poultry carcasses, poultry parts and comminuted poultry  that can be sub-classified as below:

• carcass subtypes such as
  • chicken, turkey, fowl, duck, quails, pheasants
• part subtypes such as
  • legs - whole legs (no backbone attached), drumsticks, thighs, cut up or portioned leg meat
  • breast - whole (with or without ribs), half breasts (with or without ribs), boneless breasts, skinless breasts, breast fillet, breast tenderloin, cut up or portioned breast meat
  • wings - whole wings (with or without the wing tip), mixed wing sections, drummettes, winglets (flats), wing tips, boneless wings
• comminuted subtypes such as
  • poultry product which is hand or mechanically deboned and further chopped
  • poultry product which is flaked, minced, or otherwise processed to reduce particle size such as sausage, patties, meatloaf
  • other non-breaded and non-battered comminuted poultry products

6. Key sections of the written program

A PCP allows you to identify and describe the biological hazards associated with the food, document how you intend to control those hazards, provide the information you used to develop your plan, and demonstrate through records that you have implemented your plan. To help you understand these requirements in relation to pathogen reduction, specific criteria and examples are outlined below. The examples are not exhaustive but offer ideas on what you can do to incorporate your PRMP in your PCP.

• List of products

  List all poultry products you prepare that are within scope of the PRMP. Group them by applicable performance standard and rank them in descending volume of production (from type and subtype most produced to type and subtype least produced).

• The microbial pathogen controls

  Describe the type and location of microbial control you use to reduce microbial levels and/or eliminate pathogens.

  Review changes to operations such as changes in your facilities, equipment, personnel and procedures which may affect adequacy of pathogen reduction and controls.

  The controls are to be validated for normal operating conditions as per the Microbial controls for meat products and food animals guidance to ensure that they will not result in a public health risk.

• Microbial staging of production process

  If done, describe microbial testing done at various steps of your process and its associated controls.

  Note: this is not a regulatory requirement.

• Performance standard

  State the performance standard you use.

• Sampling plan

  Describe your sampling plan, for example:

  • number of samples to be taken
  • who takes samples including identification of the designated employees who have completed the required training
  • when will sample be taken
  • where will sample be taken
  • how random sampling will be achieved

  Note: random refers to the time when the samples are selected and collected, not when the rinsing or sponging is initiated or completed.

• Pre-sampling preparation

  Describe your pre-sample preparation procedures such as:

  • check list of tasks to be performed prior to sample collection
  • materials that will be needed for sample collection
  • verification of the suitability of materials (such as check rinse fluid and sponges to ensure they will support growth)
• Sample collection procedures

  Describe your sampling procedures:

  • designated trained employees who will conduct sampling
  • location where sample will be taken (such as pre-chill, post-chill)
  • when will sample be taken (as per sampling plan)
  • how sample will be taken
  • how many samples will be taken
• Sample shipping procedures

  Describe your shipping procedures:

  • identify the person who packages the sample
  • location where packaging will be done
  • location where are samples kept pending shipment
  • identify the person who ships samples
  • where are samples shipped for testing
  • how are samples shipped (shipping agent)
  • how temperature is maintained
  • means to tamper-proof and protect the integrity of samples such as how samples are handled/packaged and shipped
• Testing laboratory details

  Identify the laboratory that perform your microbiological tests, and the following details:

  • proof of the laboratory's current accreditation for the required testing
  • for in house testing, describe how your laboratory procedures are maintained. how they are equivalent with an accredited laboratory testing method how you train employees to perform testing, and how you report results to the CFIA
  • for reporting to the CFIA you will use only accredited testing methods

  Note: you may use non-accredited rapid enumeration and serotyping methods for internal process controls. These results do not need to be reported to CFIA and can be used for internal process control of biological hazards.

• Analytical procedures

  Provide information on the analytical method you use:

  • the name and/or identification number of the method used and proof that method used is from the Association of Official Agricultural Chemists (AOAC), Standards Council of Canada (SCC) or from another recognized scientific body
• Corrective action procedures

  Describe the corrective action procedures when the PRMP is out of control.

  Describe the procedures you take to evaluate the effectiveness of the corrective action procedures.

• Procedures to communicate test results

  Describe how you will:

  • make in-house laboratory test results available for CFIA verification
  • notify and report results to CFIA when the tests are completed and when the number of positive tests within a set exceeds the "fail" threshold
  • ensure laboratory test results are directly and simultaneously received by both CFIA and the licence holder
• Records

  Describe the record keeping procedures you use to review and compile test results:

  • where are lab reports and worksheets are kept
  • how you keep analytical reports at the establishment for a period of not less than 24 months
• Additional internal control

  Describe your additional internal validation, testing, monitoring and verification activities that you perform to verify that your pathogen reduction standard is met.

7. Poultry products subject to the Pathogen Reduction Monitoring Program

7.1 General considerations

• Only finished poultry products that have gone through all processing steps and interventions should be sampled for the PRMP

  This ensures that the sampling reflects the products available to consumers for purchase.

• The finished poultry products are sampled prior to freezing unless a validated antimicrobial intervention to achieve a reduction in Salmonella or Campylobacter is employed at or following freezing
• When a poultry product needs to be tempered, a tempering procedure(s) should be developed and applied prior to collecting the sample

  In such case, sample is collected after tempering.

• When off-site interventions are applied to prevent or control Salmonella or Campylobacter, the product should be sampled after it returns to the producing establishment following the off-site intervention.

  If the treated product is not received back, the product is sampled before it leaves the facility unless you obtain a letter of guarantee confirming the product will not present a health risk to the consumers.

• When a raw poultry product is produced over more than 1 shift, it should be randomly sampled over all shifts to ensure even representation
• When raw poultry product is produced over more than 1 line, it should be sample randomly over all lines to ensure even representation

7.2 Product types and sub-types within scope

1. Raw poultry carcass

• Select raw whole carcasses of all poultry species which have intact skin
• Sample products that will not be further processed into Ready-to-Eat (RTE) product, either on-site or by another licence holder

2. Raw poultry parts

• Select raw chicken species parts
• Sample products that will not be further processed into RTE product, either on-site or by another licence holder
• Sample raw chicken legs, breasts, and wings; can be skin-on or skinless; bone-in or boneless and may have been processed such as:
  • mechanically tenderized
  • vacuum tumbled
  • injected
  • marinated
  • breaded
  • coated in solutions or dry spice mixtures

  Note: some spices may have antimicrobial properties. In such cases, the testing may validate the effects of antimicrobials.

• Sample chicken parts produced based on their type, sub-type as described below:

  Table 1: Raw chicken parts sub-types and minimum size for sampling

  Type	Sub-type examples	Minimum size
  Legs	whole legs (no backbone attached) drumsticks thighs cut up or portioned leg meat	2cm or larger in at least 1 dimension
  Breasts	whole (with or without ribs) half breasts (with or without ribs) boneless breasts skinless breasts breast fillets cut up portioned breast meat	2cm or larger in at least 1 dimension
  Wings	whole wings (with or without the wing tip) mixed wing sections drummettes winglets (flats) wing tips boneless wings	Not applicable

  • Collect only 1 type, subtype per sample

    For example, if collecting chicken breast tenderloins, collect only chicken breast tenderloins and do not mix with other breast pieces or other types such as legs.

  • Randomly select a different type, subtype as a subsequent sample, provided the sample is of only 1 type, subtype

3. Raw comminuted poultry

• Select only raw comminuted chicken and turkey species products for testing
• Sample products that will not be further processed into RTE product, either on-site or by another licence holder
• Sample based on the species sub-type as below

  Table 2: Raw comminuted chicken sub-types

  Species	Sub-type of product
  Chicken	Ground chicken
  	Mechanically separated meat (MSM) if not destined for cooking
  	Finely textured meat (FTM) if not destined for cooking
  	Other comminuted For example: hand or mechanically deboned and further chopped flaked, minced, or otherwise processed to reduce particle size such as in sausage, patties, meatloaf other non-breaded and non-battered comminuted products

  Table 3: Raw comminuted turkey sub-types

  Species	Sub-type of product
  Turkey	Ground turkey
  	Mechanically separated meat (MSM) if not destined for cooking
  	Finely textured meat (FTM) if not destined for cooking
  	Other comminuted For example: hand or mechanically deboned and further chopped flaked, minced, or otherwise processed to reduce particle size such as in sausage, patties, meatloaf other non-breaded and non-battered comminuted products

  Note: comminuted products containing added ingredients such as spices, seasonings, rosemary extract, or vegetables (but not other meat or other poultry) should be included in the sampling plan.

• Collect only 1 species type, subtype to complete a series. For example, if sampling and testing ground chicken, all samples in the series will be from ground chicken and should not to be mixed with other chicken or turkey types, subtypes.

  For raw breaded chicken nuggets, please refer to the CFIA policy Salmonella control options in frozen raw breaded chicken products.

• Record product description details when several processes have been used to produce a final product. For example, a sample of ground turkey thigh made from deboned thigh meat should indicate the product name as "ground turkey thigh (deboned)".

7.3 Product types out of scope

PRMP does not include in its scope the following products:

• poultry and poultry products that are destined for RTE food production
• poultry and poultry products that are destined for animal and pet food
• poultry parts from a species other than chicken
• chicken parts:
  • chicken quarters, necks, backs
  • giblets
  • salvaged portions

  Note: salvaging means hot boning of carcasses off-line so as to recover the non-defective portions.

• comminuted chicken and turkey:
  • mixed-species comminuted poultry products (for example, raw sausage containing both ground turkey and ground pork or containing both ground chicken and turkey)
  • diced, chunked, or sectioned poultry that is not in small pieces (such as piece greater than 2cm in any dimension) or that is otherwise not comminuted
  • hand- or mechanically-deboned products that are not further chopped, flaked, minced, or otherwise processed to reduce particle size
  • any comminuted poultry that is battered or breaded
  • whole muscle parts because they are not comminuted
  • poultry trimmings because they are not comminuted
  • comminuted poultry products portioned from a larger package without further cutting or processing, if the larger package is covered by the PRMP.
  • any finished comminuted poultry product that has been cooked or has received a full lethality treatment

7.4 Production volume as it relates to the pathogen reduction monitoring program

You should routinely review your establishment's operational activities including the production volumes to ensure that all of your information is current.

If your raw poultry product production volume is greater than or equal to shown in Table 4 you should design and implement a PRMP.

8.0 Sampling

8.1 Sampling location

You should sample raw poultry products for PRMP after chilling and completion of all interventions and processing steps, but before product leaves the establishment.

Select sampling location where sampling can be done safely and represents normal production.

• For raw poultry carcass
  • When it is impractical or unsafe to select the carcass after the chiller, the carcass sample may be selected at the end of the evisceration line after final antimicrobial intervention.
  • When unable to select a whole bird carcass at the end of the drip line, sample may be selected after the final antimicrobial intervention and dripping time can be achieved offline.

8.2 Sample size and test frequency

PRMP is designed to provide information on process controls and to trigger an examination of process controls when necessary so that production can be improved. It provides sampling results that will inform you if a corrective action is required.

Important points you should consider for PRMP sampling and testing:

• sample and test once per week, using random sampling methodologies
• the product you select for testing should be tested for both Salmonella spp. and Campylobacter spp.
• sampling can be started any week of a calendar year
• refer to table 5 for sample size and associated test frequency for Salmonella spp. and Campylobacter spp.
• when a new establishment starts operation, you should begin sampling and testing in the first week of operation
• if a sample is missed due to circumstances beyond your control or the laboratory rejects the sample or renders an inconclusive result, take a replacement sample as soon as possible
• once a raw poultry product meets PRMP standard, select next type, sub-type of raw poultry product and continue weekly PRMP monitoring (see section 8.3)

8.3 Selecting for single or multiple types of raw poultry products

• what poultry carcass species are processed
• what chicken parts are produced
• what chicken and turkey comminuted poultry products are produced
• the weight and volume of product identified above that are not cooked before sold directly to retail
• the weight and volume of product identified above that are not cooked before sent for further processing

Depending upon types and numbers of products being produced, alternate series between carcasses, carcass parts and comminuted poultry every 52 weeks.

For example:

• year 1 series (52 weeks): raw chicken parts
• year 2 series (52 weeks): raw poultry carcasses
• year 3 series (52 weeks): raw comminuted chicken or turkey
• year 4 series (52 weeks): rotate again

For your consideration

A best practice would be to simultaneously test all products over the period of 52 weeks.

See Annex - Sampling procedures for Salmonella spp. and Campylobacter spp. in raw poultry

9. Trend analysis and Pathogen Reduction Monitoring Program performance assessment

You should assess the performance of your poultry production process by monitoring the results of your PRMP. Two complementary verifications are recommended:

• on-going trend analysis over the course of the 52 weeks of sampling, and
• end-cycle assessment of compliance with national PRMP performance standards.

9.1 Trend analysis

Performing trend analysis of test results as they are collected is an essential component of a sampling program designed to monitor microbiological hazards. It is recommended that you perform trend analysis on an on-going basis. Trend analysis will help you detect a potential loss of control or inadequate controls and provide the opportunity to correct the situation immediately.

Table 6 provides reference criteria to perform your trend analysis

• assess each sample result as it is received
• start your trend analysis when you have reached the minimum number of samples required to calculate the rate of positive results (column A)

  Note: the minimum number of samples to conduct trend analysis is calculated using the following formula:

  (number of samples for the series ÷ respective performance standard ) + 1

  For example, for Salmonella in raw chicken carcasses; divide 52 by 5 which equals to 10 (round up to 10 from 10.4),  then add 1, which then equals 11, the final number. If the decimal portion is less than 0.5, then round down; if the decimal portion is equal or more than 0.5, then round up.

• Calculate the rate of positive results:

  Rate of positive results = number of positive test results / total number of test results X 100

• Compare the calculated rate of positive results against the standard rate of positive results for the selected product type (column B)
• Then, after each subsequent sample in that series, re-calculate and assess the new rate of positive results, using all test results
• Consider proactively implementing corrective actions when the calculated rate of positive results exceeds the standard rate of positive results
• This provides the opportunity to correct the situation and meet the end-cycle performance standard (column C).

9.2 End cycle assessment

Table 6 provides reference criteria to perform your end cycle assessment

• End cycle assessment is performed on a complete 52 week sample series
• Verify your number of positive results against the 52 week performance standard (column C): the process controls meet expectations when the number of positive results is equal or below the 52 week performance standard
• In the instance where a full 52 week series cannot be performed, such as for a seasonal product that has limited production, assess your performance for the selected product against a value that is adjusted to the number of samples you collected

  Adjusted standard = standard rate of positive test results(selected product) X number of samples collected

  For example, for Salmonella in raw chicken carcasses, if sampling is only conducted over a 36 week period, the average rate of 9.8% is multiplied by 36, which equals to 3.5. Round this result to the nearest whole number, which means a maximum of 4 carcasses can be positive out of total 36 samples.

  Note: if the decimal portion is less than 0.5, then round down; if the decimal portion is equal or more than 0.5, then round up.

• For exceptional situations with limited production, plan to take at least a number of samples that equals the numbers described in column A of table 6

  You can sample and test more than once per week to achieve your planned sampling numbers to assess your performance.

• Once a 52 week cycle has been completed (or otherwise the product type with limited production is completed), and the results indicate that process controls meet the performance standard, select your next product type and subtype that will undergo the next sampling series
• If the number of positive results exceeds the PRMP criteria before the 52 week cycle ends, this is considered a loss of process control and corrective actions will be implemented immediately

  Once corrective actions have been implemented start a new 52 week series for type and subtype which failed. Continue your routine sampling of the next type and subtype of poultry product for PRMP monitoring, in addition to continuing the 52 week series for the type and subtype that failed. For example, if the series for chicken carcass which started in January failed in July of that same year, you would restart chicken carcasses sampling in July after the implementation of your corrective actions. This new series will end in July of the following year. The planned chicken parts sampling will start in January of that following year, in addition to the continuous chicken carcasses sampling.

9.3 Moving window approach for 52 tests

If you only produce a single product type or would like to test a specific product type on a continuous basis, you may use a moving window approach.

When using moving window approach, with each new result received you will re-assess your performance against the performance standard set out in column C of table 6, using the most current 52 test results.

10 Corrective action procedure

The process is deemed out of control when the results do not meet end cycle performance standards, this indicates that the sanitary dressing procedures and associated antimicrobial intervention step(s) used to produce poultry product are unable to reduce prevalence of pathogens to an acceptable level. In this case:

• inform CFIA
• determine the cause of failure (root cause analysis)
• determine and implement appropriate corrective action(s) that will:
  • address the affected product
  • prevent future PRMP failure
• verify effectiveness of corrective actions
• if positive trend continues:
  • assess why previous corrective actions were ineffective
  • conduct systematic review of your PCP

Determine if same sample was tested for both Salmonella and Campylobacter

• when same sample is tested jointly for Salmonella and Campylobacter, and  the series fails for 1 pathogen but passes for the other, implement corrective action procedures and retest both pathogens
• when same sample is tested separately for Salmonellaand Campylobacter and series fails for 1 pathogen but passes for the other, implement corrective action procedures and retest for failed pathogen

11. Records

In a PCP, systematic record keeping simplifies the retrieval of records when they are needed. They provide evidence that the PCP is implemented and working effectively.

• Keep records of all test results
• Keep separate PRMP logs for each species of poultry, parts and comminuted poultry
• Send a copy of each individual test results to your local CFIA office simultaneously and directly from the laboratory
• Keep these records for 24 months

Additional information – Further reading

The following references contain information on food safety controls, including examples. CFIA is not responsible for the content of documents that are created by other government agencies or other external sources.

CFIA references

• Interim Performance Criteria for Chicken Parts, Comminuted Chicken and Comminuted Turkey
• Annex - Sampling procedures for Salmonella spp. and Campylobacter spp. in raw poultry
• Process Verification Monitoring Program for generic E. coli – Biotype I for raw poultry
• Conducting a hazard analysis
• Corrective action procedures for your preventive control plan
• Risk Assessment models
• Evidence showing a control measure is effective
• Microbial controls for meat products and food animals
• Monitoring procedures for your preventive control plan
• Verification procedures for your preventive control plan
• Record keeping for your preventive control plan
• Salmonella control options in frozen raw breaded chicken products