NZ Food Safety issue updated risk profiles for Salmonella (non-tyhoidal) in and on eggs, and poultry meat

Following a recent outbreak of New Zealanders infected with Salmonella Enteritidis, which was linked in 2021 to an incursion of the strain in layer and broiler poultry flocks, New Zealand Food Safety commissioned Dr Joanne Kingsbury at ESR to work with Drs Nadia Vather and Kate Thomas at NZFS to update the risk profiles for Salmonella (non-typhoidal) in eggs, poultry meat and animal feed. This serotype is of concern to the poultry industry because it has the potential for transovarian transmission into eggs, and had a seemingly higher rate of hospitalisation than for people infected with other Salmonella serotypes. A key purpose of the risk profiles was to assess how the risk has changed to poultry meat, eggs and animal feed following this incursion. The first two of those reports have now been published on the MPI website.
https://www.mpi.govt.nz/science/food-safety-and-suitability-research/salmonella-research-reports/
 
For the report on eggs:
https://www.mpi.govt.nz/dmsdocument/61102-Risk-profile-Salmonella-non-typhoidal-in-and-on-eggs-2023
 
For the report on broiler chickens:  
https://www.mpi.govt.nz/dmsdocument/57952-Risk-Profile-update-Non-typhoidal-Salmonella-in-broiler-chickens-and-poultry-meat
 
Key findings as stated in the Scientific Interpretive Summaries:
 
Regarding eggs: “NZFS [also] considers that while the risk associated with Salmonella Enteritidis is no longer negligible, it remains low in New Zealand. The emergence of a Salmonella Enteritidis strain in poultry has not yet had a material impact on overall salmonellosis case numbers in New Zealand. Information to date suggests that the regulatory measures implemented by NZFS (Emergency Control Scheme, and 2022 additions to the Animal Products Act 1999) requiring breeder, egg layer and meat chicken producers to implement more stringent risk management procedures have been effective at controlling the incidence of Salmonella Enteritidis on farms and hence mitigating the risk of Salmonella in eggs to consumers.”
 
Regarding chicken meat: “Based on the low rate of National Microbiological Database detections of Salmonella in poultry, the risk of salmonellosis for New Zealanders remains low. Now that Salmonella Enteritidis has been detected in the poultry system, the level of ongoing risk will be determined by the commitment of operators to the RMP (Risk Management Programme) measures they’ve put in place to help prevent Salmonella Enteritidis from becoming established in New Zealand poultry flocks. Environmental testing will aid management through early detection in the event of any further Salmonella Enteritidis incursions.”