Who is responsible for conducting Salmonella and Campylobacter verification testing?

The responsibility for conducting Salmonella and Campylobacter verification testing falls to the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) exclusively. The FSIS is a branch of the U.S. Department of Agriculture tasked with ensuring the safety and quality of meat, poultry, and egg products. This federal agency conducts routine verification testing as part of its regulatory oversight to assess whether establishments comply with food safety standards.

While establishments are responsible for producing safe food products and implementing their internal monitoring procedures, the formal verification testing for these pathogens is specifically mandated to be conducted by FSIS. This allows for an impartial assessment that helps maintain public confidence in the meat and poultry inspection system.

Other choices incorrectly imply shared or sole responsibility that does not align with the regulatory framework established by the USDA, specifically regarding verification testing of these pathogens. The establishment plays a critical role in ensuring overall food safety, but the verification testing itself is a distinct function performed by FSIS to verify compliance with established safety measures and standards.