What action may PHIS take after a Salmonella performance standard failure?

• A. Increase FSIS sampling frequency
• B. Decrease FSIS sampling frequency
• C. Issue a recall
• D. No action

Answer: (A)

When a Salmonella performance standard failure occurs, the goal is to verify and monitor the effectiveness of corrective actions by gathering more data. PHIS and FSIS use verification sampling as a key tool, so increasing the sampling frequency provides more information about whether the establishment is bringing its processes back into compliance and whether the risk to the public is being mitigated. More data helps inspectors detect any ongoing issues sooner and supports appropriate enforcement decisions if improvement isn’t seen. Decreasing sampling would reduce visibility into the situation, and recalls or no action are separate outcomes that aren’t the immediate, routine response to a standard failure.