It is an important fact of life that establishments conduct microbiological testing. Virtually all beef slaughter establishments test trim for E. coli O157:H7; poultry slaughter operations test for Salmonella and Campylobacter; and manufacturers of ready-to-eat product test for Listeria. In addition, many customers have micro-specifications for product quality.
A valid, well-thought-out sampling program provides necessary feedback to an establishment’s food-safety system. Conversely, a flawed sampling program can be detrimental: It can give a false sense of security, waste resources and provide a basis for adverse regulatory action.