When it comes to reducing Salmonella prevalence at processing, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) data show the industry is making progress.

No, the title of this column does not contain a typo. Under the right circumstances, most of which are unpredictable, Salmonella can give you a real body slam.

According to industry estimates, at least one-third of food recalls in North America may directly be related to sanitation, hygiene and material handling issues in food facilities. On an associative note, the CDC lists unsanitary equipment and surfaces as one of the top five contributing factors of foodborne illness outbreaks.

In the ongoing war against pathogens in meat and poultry plants, bacteriophages are becoming a potentially potent weapon.

What if the key to improving food safety in thermal processing — heating, cooking and smoking — is more water?

A misconception in the poultry industry is that processing can solve all pathogen challenges. Learn how Salmonella vaccines can help take pressure off in-plant interventions, lowering Salmonella loads before the birds reach the processing facility.

There are several factors that can make controlling Salmonella in poultry difficult. Chief among them is the long-standing perception held by some operations that processing-plant interventions can eliminate most of the risk associated with any potential threat.