FSIS determines establishment Salmonella and Campylobacter performance using:

• A. A 52 week moving window of sampling results
• B. The number of NRs generated from positive sample results
• C. Statistical analysis of weekly sampling results
• D. The annual average of Salmonella and Campylobacter bacterial counts

Answer: (A)

Performance is assessed using a rolling 52-week window of sampling results. This approach keeps the evaluation tied to recent, ongoing performance while smoothing out week-to-week fluctuations, so persistent issues are detected without being swayed by a single abnormal week. Each week, the window updates to include the most recent data, which makes the measurement sensitive to trends and timely for corrective actions.

Using a simple count of NR results from positives wouldn’t reliably reflect overall contamination levels or trends over time. A weekly statistical glance can be volatile and may not reveal sustained problems, whereas the 52-week window provides a stable, up-to-date view. An annual average of bacterial counts would miss recent changes and fail to show current performance, since it blends in data from the entire year and can delay recognition of emerging issues.