A recent European Union audit has highlighted ongoing weaknesses in Poland’s Salmonella monitoring and control system for poultry, pointing to unresolved discrepancies between official inspection results and data reported by food business operators.
The audit was conducted remotely in November 2024 by the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety as a follow-up to recommendations issued in 2021. Those earlier recommendations focused on improving meat traceability, hygiene controls and Salmonella surveillance in both the poultry and beef sectors.
Higher detection rates in official controls
According to the audit findings, official sampling carried out by public authorities continued to detect Salmonella at significantly higher rates than testing performed by poultry operators themselves. This divergence was observed across multiple establishments and was particularly evident in poultry processing plants, where official samples tested positive several times more frequently than industry self-monitoring results.
Inspectors noted that this gap persists despite repeated guidance from EU authorities over several years. Similar concerns had already been raised during audits carried out in 2022, indicating that the issue is not isolated but structural in nature. The continued mismatch raises questions about the reliability, sensitivity and consistency of self-checking systems used by parts of the poultry industry.
Limited progress since 2021 recommendations
The original 2021 DG Sante audit identified nine specific areas requiring improvement in Poland’s official controls and industry practices, including more robust Salmonella surveillance, better verification of self-checking systems and enhanced traceability along the meat supply chain.
While the 2024 follow-up acknowledged some improvements, particularly in documentation and traceability procedures, it concluded that progress remains uneven. In several cases, businesses were found to rely on less stringent sampling methods or testing protocols for internal monitoring compared with those applied by official laboratories.
As a result, Salmonella-positive findings detected through official controls were not always identified during routine self-testing, increasing the risk that contaminated batches could enter the food chain undetected.
Implications for public health and the poultry market
Salmonella remains one of the most common causes of foodborne illness in the European Union. Poland is one of the EU’s largest poultry producers and exporters, supplying a significant share of intra-EU trade. Persistent weaknesses in monitoring systems therefore have potential implications not only for domestic food safety but also for cross-border trade and consumer confidence.
Previous investigations at EU level have linked Salmonella outbreaks in other Member States to poultry products originating from Poland, reinforcing the importance of effective and harmonised control systems. The audit underlined that accurate and reliable Salmonella monitoring is a cornerstone of EU public health policy and essential for maintaining the integrity of the single market.
Commission recommendations and next steps
To address the identified shortcomings, DG Sante outlined a series of follow-up actions for Polish authorities. These include strengthened oversight of industry laboratories, closer verification of self-monitoring results, and expanded on-site inspections at poultry establishments considered to be at higher risk.
The Commission also recommended improved data-sharing mechanisms between official authorities and food business operators, as well as enhanced training to ensure that internal control systems are aligned with EU requirements. Progress is expected to be monitored through regular reporting, with further measures possible if corrective actions are not implemented effectively.
Polish authorities and industry representatives have acknowledged the audit findings and committed to improving monitoring practices. However, the report notes that smaller operators may face challenges related to resources and technical capacity, underlining the need for targeted support and guidance.
Continued EU focus on Salmonella control
The European Commission continues to emphasise the importance of consistent application of Salmonella control measures across Member States. Experience from other EU countries shows that targeted interventions, improved verification of self-checking systems and closer cooperation between authorities and industry can lead to measurable reductions in contamination.
As Poland works to address the issues identified in the audit, the findings serve as a reminder of the ongoing importance of robust Salmonella surveillance in the poultry sector, both to protect public health and to safeguard confidence in Europe’s poultry supply chain.
