Business news in brief

By The Associated Press

USDA moves to limit salmonella in raw poultry products

The Agriculture Department on Monday announced plans to limit salmonella in poultry products in the U.S., a proposal that officials say will keep contaminated meat off store shelves and lead to fewer illnesses.

Under the proposed new rule, poultry companies would have to keep salmonella levels under a certain threshold and test for the presence of six particularly sickening forms of the bacteria, three found in turkey and three in chicken. If the bacteria exceeds the proposed standard and any of those strains are found, the poultry couldn’t be sold and would be subject to recall.

The poultry industry has made progress in reducing the amount of salmonella in its products over the past three decades, said Dr. Emilio Esteban, USDA undersecretary for food safety.

American flags should be born in the USA now, too

Soon, Old Glory will have to be born in the land of the free and not merely flying over it.

Congress has passed a proposal to require the federal government to purchase only American flags that have been completely manufactured in the U.S. The U.S. imports millions of American flags from overseas, mostly from China, and the sponsors of the proposal said it’s time for American flags to originate in the country they represent.

Supporters of the proposal, led by Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine and Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown of Ohio, said the change is more than just symbolic — they believe it will support American jobs and manufacturers while preserving the nation’s most recognized banner.

Blood test for colon cancer screening approved

WASHINGTON | U.S. health regulators on Monday approved a first-of-its-kind blood test for colon cancer, offering a new way of screening for a leading cause of cancer deaths.

Test manufacturer Guardant said the Food and Drug Administration approved its Shield test for screening in adults 45 and older who have an average risk of colon cancer. The test isn’t a replacement for colonoscopies, but provides a noninvasive approach to screening.

Doctors can already order Shield for patients as a laboratory test with an out-of-pocket price of $895. But FDA approval is expected to increase coverage by private and government insurance.

—From AP reports