New federal standards are in effect to reduce illnesses caused by campylobacter and salmonella bacteria in ground chicken and turkey meat, said the USDA. It said the new rules are expected to reduce food illnesses by 50,000 cases a year. The new rules require processors to reduce pathogen levels in poultry meat. “By making the standards for ground poultry tougher to meet, ground poultry products nationwide will have less contamination and therefore result in fewer foodborne illnesses,” said USDA.
“Under the USDA’s new standard, companies will be required to reduce the frequency of contaminated chicken parts to 15 percent or less,” said the NPR blog The Salt, referring to salmonella. “Even when companies wash chicken carcasses after slaughter, the USDA has found the bacteria on about a quarter of all cut-up chicken parts heading for supermarket shelves. It’s a good reason to handle raw chicken carefully, wash your hands afterward, and cook the meat well.”