Which term describes a FSIS-defined limit designed to ensure safety for specific products, often set by the agency rather than by the establishment?

• A. Critical limit
• B. Performance standard
• C. Target
• D. Performance criteria

Answer: (B)

Performance standards are the safety benchmarks FSIS sets for specific products. They are regulatory limits established by the agency rather than by the establishment, and inspectors use them to determine whether a product meets safety requirements. This differs from critical limits, which are the specific values that must be met at a critical control point within the plant’s HACCP plan to control hazards; those are defined by the establishment's processes and the plan, not by the agency as a general product safety standard. A target is simply a desired value to aim for, not a mandated safety limit, and performance criteria isn’t the FSIS term used for these agency-defined safety limits.