Driven by its continued desire to drive foodborne illness numbers lower than ever before, the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) continues to crack down on Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) in ready-to-eat food processing facilities. But federal establishments are not the only ones facing increasing pressure when it comes to controlling Lm in the environment. As recently described in its 2017-22 five-year Strategic Plan, FSIS has announced it will begin to intensify inspections of retail delis as part of its new enforcement initiatives. As FSIS policy shifts toward retail operations, many grocers will begin feeling added pressure from the agency.
FSIS is very good at regulating food safety in federal establishments. Studies show, however, there is still a lot of persistent Lm residing in retail delis nationwide. Although ready-to-eat foods are cooked by federal establishments to eliminate Lm and other pathogens prior being shipped to grocery stores, those products can become contaminated while being prepared or displayed in the deli environment. Once Lm is introduced into a deli, it can easily spread and contaminate other ready-to-eat foods such salads and other deli meats. This fact is confirmed by recent studies that show approximately 10 percent of all samples collected from grocery delis nationwide are positive for Lm.