Reducing Risks of Foodborne Illness in Poultry and Poultry Products

Whether you are raising birds, producing poultry products of your own, or simply consuming them, it is essential to remember all the steps to reduce the risks of foodborne illnesses like Salmonella. From bird sourcing to the cooking practices of consumers eating chicken or eggs at home, we all have a part to play in ensuring a lower chance of people getting sick from potential foodborne illness. Implementing these practices throughout the food chain is the best chance to minimize these risks.

Bird Sourcing

Decreasing Salmonella risks starts with bird sourcing. The National Poultry Improvement Plan (NPIP) is a program created to decrease diseases passed through eggs from the hen to her offspring. NPIP was initially developed to control Salmonella pullorum, a significant problem in the poultry industry in the early 1900s. Today, NPIP has expanded its certification program to include tests for a variety of other diseases, such as mycoplasma and avian influenza. It is a voluntary program implemented by state and federal agencies, and a substantial portion of the commercial industry participates. Poultry operations of all sizes can benefit from this certification, though.

NPIP gives poultry buyers an additional assurance that they are purchasing healthy birds. In addition, it provides breeders and hatcheries with an opportunity to check in regularly on the health status of their flocks and stay on top of any potential problems. Some states of destination also require negative pullorum or avian influenza tests. Thus, participation can be helpful for those moving birds across state lines for exhibition and other purposes. Lastly, NPIP can help decrease disease risk and ensure the health and quality of poultry and poultry products across the industry.

When purchasing birds for your flock, it is critical to ensure they are disease-free before purchase, especially if you add them to an existing flock. Looking for NPIP-certified breeders and hatcheries or stores that source their birds from certified operations is a great option. If you are unsure or having difficulty determining if an operation is NPIP certified, check out their database, where you can search by state for accredited operations.

Regardless of where you choose to source your birds, always remember to quarantine new birds for at least 3 weeks before adding them to an existing flock. Many diseases have an incubation period before the bird shows symptoms, so the quarantine period allows time to wait and see if the birds have contracted an illness before arriving at your farm.

Product testing and monitoring

Several systems are in place for monitoring, product testing, and preventative measures controlling SE and other bacteria associated with foodborne illness in egg production.

According to the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture (PDA), Pennsylvania was the first state in the US to implement an effective flock testing and management program that required steps to reduce the risks of Salmonella enteritidis (SE). SE is one of the most common strains of Salmonella found in poultry and a significant cause of human foodborne illness.

In Pennsylvania, the program that monitors SE in laying hens and eggs is called the Pennsylvania Egg Quality Assurance Program (PEQAP). The PEQAP Operations Annex (2024) describes testing requirements for SE throughout the life of a laying hen. If a farm tests positive for SE, there are very specific cleaning and disinfection procedures that must be followed. PEQAP-certified eggs are required for storage conditions such as refrigeration within 24 hours of lay and until that egg makes it to the grocery store or consumer. Additionally, program participants must have certain biosecurity and rodent and fly control measures in place on their farms.

PEQAP is a voluntary program, although its requirements are similar to those required nationally by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Egg Rule (2009) for most farms with 3000 or more laying hens. This regulation was based on the PEQAP program!

In terms of product testing, all shell eggs sold in grocery stores must be at least a grade B. The United States Department of Agriculture's Egg-Grading Manual (2000) describes the grading process. This includes a range of factors pertaining to quality, both internally and externally. Some of these factors are also critical for food safety. For example, eggs are examined for cracks or other shell deformities that might make eggs more susceptible to taking in bacteria or even rotting in the carton and contaminating other eggs. The grading standards ensure that eggs are examined closely for any abnormalities that may cause a food safety issue.

There are also systems in place for poultry meat production and processing. The United States Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA-FSIS) oversees the processing of a majority of the chicken that is sold in grocery stores. This includes multiple checkpoints and monitoring by qualified inspectors throughout processing.

Humane handling of animals is a priority for USDA inspectors in processing plants and identifying any sick or injured birds upon arrival. They oversee the entire process, ensuring the food products remain sanitary and free of inedible parts of the bird. Inspectors also enforce certain temperatures and sanitary conditions throughout the chilling and storage process and complete a final "reinspection" of a sample of products after the process is complete. USDA inspections help to ensure that the products are free of potential bacteria or pathogens that may cause foodborne illness. Additionally, poultry meat products are tested for levels of specific bacteria known to cause foodborne illness, such as Salmonella and Campylobacter, before they continue to retail locations.

Whole birds and parts are examined closely and graded. This includes determining meat quality and identifying defects that may present a food safety risk. More information on USDA grades and standards for poultry products can be found on their website. Evidence of bacterial contamination and severe defects are just a few examples of problems that would cause a product to fail and be deemed unfit for consumption. Grading, therefore, ensures that consumers can purchase consistently high-quality products with minimized risks of bacterial contamination.

Consumer Responsibilities

Poultry producers work hard to increase the food safety of eggs and poultry meat, but consumers still have their own responsibilities. Poultry products should be handled and cooked properly.

Always wash your hands with soap and water after handling raw eggs or meat. Cross-contamination should be avoided. Dishes, hands, utensils, and surfaces that have been in contact with raw poultry products should be cleaned and disinfected thoroughly. The meat itself does not need to be washed! Splashing and water particles from washing meat can land on other surfaces or foods, increasing contamination risks.

Commercial egg producers are required to wash shell eggs, so those bought at any major grocery store have already been washed and should be kept refrigerated after purchase. If using eggs from a backyard flock, washing is recommended before refrigeration to decrease the risks from bacteria or pathogens that may be on the shell. For more information on safe egg-washing practices, see this article on safely handling eggs from a backyard flock.

Cook all poultry meat to an internal temperature of at least 165 °F (73.9 °C). Insert a meat thermometer into the center of the thickest part of the meat for the best reading. Take two separate readings to ensure accuracy. Eggs need to be cooked to an internal temperature of 160 °F (71.1 °C). The yolk and white will both be firm at this temperature. Sunny side-up or dippy eggs are popular, but those runny yolks may not have reached the correct temperature! For more information on safe internal cooking temperatures, visit the foodsafety.gov webpage.

Lastly, make sure you know how long your cold or frozen poultry products can last before potential spoilage. Different methods of storage and products will have different times. Cold storage is more critical to food safety, while frozen storage recommendations are often more associated with product quality. See the table below for more details on commonly stored poultry products.

The table was adapted from the Cold Food Storage Chart by the USDA Department of Health and Human Services; check it out for more specifics and products.

Throughout the poultry food chain, there are best practices, testing requirements, and guidelines that can help decrease the risks of foodborne illness. This process starts with bird sourcing, continues during production and processing, and ends with the consumer cooking poultry products at home. If you participate in raising birds and producing poultry products or even just consuming them, there are essential steps for everyone to take.

Sources

FoodSafety.Gov. (2023). Cold Food Storage Chart. U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.

FoodSafety.Gov. (2024). Cook to a Safe Minimum Internal Temperature. U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.

National Poultry Improvement Plan. (n.d.-a). National Poultry Improvement Plan History. US Poultry and Egg Association.

Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture. (n.d.-a). Pennsylvania Egg Quality Assurance Program.

Pennsylvania Egg Quality Assurance Program. (2024) PEQAP Operations Annex.

United States Department of Agriculture. (2000). Egg-Grading Manual USDA Agricultural Marketing Service.

United States Department of Agriculture. (n.d.-a). Poultry and Poultry Products Grades and Standards. USDA Agricultural Marketing Service.

United States Department of Agriculture. (2020). Inspection of Poultry Products. Food Safety and Inspection Service

Reviewed by Gregory Martin, PhD, PAS, Penn State Extension and Hope Kassube, MSc, Penn State Extension