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

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1. Purpose

This annex provides information to help food businesses collect and prepare samples for the Pathogen Reduction Monitoring Program (PRMP) for Salmonella and Campylobacter in raw poultry.

It's your choice!

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 the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) for foreign country equivalency assessment.

What is not included!

While this document provides specific details regarding sampling for Salmonella and Campylobacter in poultry, it does not describe general best practices for sampling. Be sure to also consult the document Sampling procedures.

2. Sampling methods

2.1 Key considerations when sampling

2.2 Carcass rinse method for chicken carcass

Sampling supplies

Sample collection – chicken carcass rinse

Quick tip

Sampling can also be performed by 2 people wearing sterile gloves:

2.3 Carcass sponge method for turkey carcass

Sampling supplies

Sample collection

Back view of a turkey placed breast down
Picture A. Back view of a turkey placed breast down. A striated line depicts the position of the vertebral column. A grey rectangular template is placed longitudinally over the vertebral column. The dotted area to the left of the vertebral column within the template is the "back" area to be sampled for Salmonella
Left side view of a turkey placed breast down
Picture B. Left side view of a turkey placed breast down. A grey rectangular template is placed laterally to the hip joint. The dotted area within the template is the left "thigh" area to be sampled  for Salmonella.

2.4 Carcass parts rinse method for chicken

Sampling supplies

Sample collection – chicken parts

2.5 Raw comminuted chicken and turkey

Sampling supplies

Sample collection

3. Preparing for shipping

Shipping supplies

Packaging procedure

4. Laboratory standards to provide testing and results

To be eligible to provide testing and results, laboratories should be accredited by the Standards Council of Canada (SCC) or Canadian Association for Laboratory Accreditation Inc. (CALA) and have on their scope of approved methods, the method(s) of analysis prescribed by the Health Canada and/or United States Department of Agriculture – Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA-FSIS) or with approved alternative methodology.

Laboratories may refer to the Health Canada's Compendium of Analytical Methods and to FSIS - Microbiology Laboratory Guidebook websites to ensure that the most current versions are used.

Laboratories are responsible for:

5. Analytical methods

The methods will be referred to in accredited laboratories scope such as:

MLG 4C.07 - FSIS Procedure for the Use of a Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) Assay for Screening Salmonella in Meat, Poultry, Egg, and Siluriformes (Fish) Products and Carcass and Environmental Sponges

MLG 4.10 - Isolation and Identification of Salmonella from Meat, Poultry, Pasteurized Egg, and Siluriformes (Fish) Products and Carcass and Environmental Sponges

MFLP-29 - The Qualicon Bax® System Method for the Detection of Salmonella in a Variety of Food and Environmental Samples

MFHPB-20 - Isolation and Identification of Salmonella from Foods

MLG 41.04 - Isolation and Identification of Campylobacter jejuni/coli/lari from Poultry Rinse, Sponge and Raw Product Samples

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