Supporting Small and Very Small U.S. Meat/Poultry Processors in Complying with USDA FSIS Regulatory Changes for Fully-Cooked Products

The overall, integrated research and extension goal of this project is to provide small and very small processors, and Federal, state, and local meat inspectors, with tools to support regulatory compliance, ensure product safety, and sustain and grow viable business operations.Specific Objectives:Compare, validate, and demonstrate the utility and reliability of multiple process/oven humidity control and measurement options suitable for small/very small meat and poultry processors.Conduct Salmonella-inoculated, pilot-scale cooking trials to validate surface lethality for products not historically processed in humidity-enhanced systems.Develop, deploy, and assess an oven-operator food safety manual and spreadsheet tool to support validation of Salmonella lethality at the core and surface of multiple ready-to-eat products cooked in different types of equipment following uniquely different processes.Develop, implement, and assess workshop materials/curriculum at 20-30 regional and national events for training small and very small processors.