Traditional processing of summer sausage applies lower fermentation pH values (≤4.6) and higher thermal treatments after fermentation to meet U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) performance standards for E. coli O157:H7 lethality (5D process; decimal reduction dose).

Since Executive Order 13777 Enforcing the Regulatory Reform Agenda was signed in 2017, Regulatory Reform Task Forces have evaluated and proposed changes to existing regulations to repeal, replace and modify cumbersome requirements. Several labeling requirements for meat and poultry products are under review.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) recently updated two guidance documents regarding meat and poultry labeling claims.

The notice proposes updated Salmonella performance standards for raw ground beef and new performance standards for beef manufacturing trimmings for establishments that produce more than 50,000 pounds of these products per day.