(NAFB.com) – The Food Safety and Inspection Service issued a comprehensive proposed rule and determination to more effectively reduce Salmonella contamination and illnesses associated with raw poultry products. It’s the culmination of a three-year effort to reevaluate the FSIS strategy for controlling Salmonella rates in poultry and protect American consumers from illnesses linked to eating poultry products. Salmonella bacteria cause over one million human infections in the U.S. each year. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says food is the leading source of Salmonella infections and poultry is among the leading sources of foodborne illnesses. The proposal would establish final product standards to prevent raw chicken carcasses, chicken parts, ground chicken, and ground turkey products that exceed acceptable levels of salmonella from entering the food chain. “The proposed Salmonella framework is grounded in data and rigorous scientific evaluation and reflects stakeholder feedback,” says Undersecretary for Food Safety Dr. Emilio Esteban.