USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is running a pilot program with several poultry processors including Jennie-O Foods, Hatfield Inc., Rocco Farm Foods and Goldkist Inc. to reduce reliance on organoleptic inspection. FSIS hopes to shift to inspection systems based on risk and re-deploy its resources in a manner that better controls food-borne illnesses.
If the pilot is successful some inspectors currently assigned within plants to sample and verify the safety and wholesomeness of meat and poultry could be reassigned to the storage, transportation and retail sectors of the food production chain.
For more information, visit the FSIS website at: www.fisi.usda.gov
