Meat+Poultry - March 2018 - 83

©Stanislav Pepeliaev - stock.adobe.com

FOOD SAFETY

on-going research and research needs, testing
programs, education efforts, and FSIS policy
regarding L. monocytogenes in RTE meat and
poultry products.
The information gathered at the February
meeting led to the formulation of an action
plan in the form of a series of initiatives to
control Listeria monocytogenes in RTE meat
and poultry products. The initiatives consisted
of long- and short-term activities, interagency
activities and involved all programs of
FSIS. Near term initiatives included Hazard
Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP)
reassessments, guidance for the prevention
of contamination by Listeria, FSIS finished
product testing, consumer education and the
survey of industry practices, among many
other initiatives. Long-term initiatives focused
on research with irradiation and agency review
of products destined to vulnerable consumers
(pregnant women, adults over 65, newborn
infants and those with compromised immune
systems) under consideration.
An outbreak of Listeria in 2002 provided
important data to FSIS in the fight against
the problem. The data collected, along with
verification reviews and other food safety
investigations, led to the conclusion that some
establishments were not adequately addressing
the potential for bacterial contamination
in their HACCP plans, Sanitation Standard
Operating Procedures (SSOPs), or other
control measures.
On June 6, 2003, FSIS issued "Control of
Listeria Monocytogenes in Ready-to-Eat Meat
and Poultry Product; Final Rule," outlining
in detail the testing procedures, methods,
requirements, alternatives, etc., for adequate
programs processors needed to enact to avoid
contamination.
As the initiatives and technology
continued to evolve up to today,
and will continue to evolve farther
into the future, processors
will never eradicate the
Listeria monocytogenes
bacteria, so controlling and
limiting occurrence and
contamination will be
a continual battle with
continual improvement
possible.
Docket No: FSIS-2014-0033

from June 19, 2015, states, "Based on available
data, FSIS is confident that it is successfully
carrying out its mission to protect public
health by enforcing safeguards designed to
control Listeria monocytogenes. The Agency
considers the RTE regulatory results to be an
excellent indicator of the trends in pathogen
presence in RTE products over several years.
This downward trend shows that the interim
final rule has been effective in controlling
Listeria monocytogenes in RTE meat and
poultry products."

SURVEILLANCE AND PREVENTION
Federal, state and local agencies and
governments all do their part to prevent
listeriosis, or at least control Listeria
monocytogenes. They develop and enforce
regulations such as the Food Safety
Modernization Act (FSMA), as well as make
continual efforts to provide guidance and
education to industry. Public health agencies
such as CDC, FDA, National Center for
Biotechnology Information (NCBI) and National
Institutes of Health (NIH) work together to
track cases of listeriosis in an effort to improve
policies and practices and protect those who
are more likely to contract listeriosis.
Listeriosis is nationally notifiable in the
US. This means listeriosis infections must be
reported to local, state, territorial, and federal
public health authorities so they can monitor
and watch for signs of an outbreak. Health
agencies take the reports, and the data from
them, to work on better ways to prevent the
foodborne illness.
In 2004, the Foodborne Diseases
Active Surveillance Network
(FoodNet) piloted a
surveillance system called
the Listeria Initiative.

Percent positive
for Listeria
monocytogenes
in ready-to-eat
food by type
according to FSIS sampling programs in 1998

SLICED HAM/
LUNCH MEATS

5.7%
SMALL-DIAMETER
SAUSAGES

4.4%
SALADS AND SPREADS

3.4%
ROAST/CORNED/
COOKED BEEF

3.1%
UNCURED COOKED
POULTRY

2.4%

LARGE DIAMETER
SAUSAGES

1.6%
JERKY

0.7%

www.meatpoultry.com | 03.18 | MEAT+ POULTRY

83
Meat+Poultry - March 2018

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Meat+Poultry - March 2018
