RT2- Refrigerated Ready-To-Eat (RTE) Foods: Microbiological Concerns and Control Measures

Glen 201-202
Organizers: Cheng-An Hwang, Richard Whiting, and Don Zink
Convenors: Cheng-An Hwang, Richard Whiting, and Don Zink

3:30-Cases of Listeriosis from RTE Food can be Significantly Reduced Through Product Formulation and Environmental Sampling — Daniel Engeljohn, FSIS-USDA, Washington, D.C., USA

3:45-Non-proteolytic Clostridium botulinum May be a Potential Safety Issue in Refrigerated Vacuum-Packaged RTE Foods — Jenny Scott, Food Products Association, Washington, D.C., USA

4:00-Warning Lables and Limited Shelf Life are Not an Effective Control to Ensure Food Safety of RTE Foods. They might help in certain situations, but as a general rule, will not ensure safety. — George Evancho, Campbell Soup Company, Camden, NJ, USA

4:15-Roundtable Discussion —Cheng-An Hwang , USDA-ARS-ERRC, Wyndmoor, PA, USA – Moderator
Questioners: Dennis Seman, Oscar Mayer Foods, Madison, WI, USA; Vijay Juneja, USDA-ARS-ERRC, Wyndmoor, PA, USA; Katherine Swanson, Ecolab Inc., St. Paul, MN, USA

Abstract
Refrigerated ready-to-eat (RTE) foods contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes have been linked to several severe listeriosis outbreaks. The contamination was mainly traced to recontamination of produce from the environment. Due to the ability of L. monocytogenes to grow at refrigerated temperatures and the non-necessity for cooking before consumption, RTE foods contaminated with L. monocytogenes that support growth can be a great health concern. Other pathogens, including Clostridium botulinum, are also a concern, particularly in vacuum packed RTE foods. To address these concerns, the manufacturers must establish control programs for meat and poultry that include a Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point system and sanitation standard operating procedures, and in many cases include additional heat processes, addition of antimicrobials compunds and/or product/environmental sampling programs. These control programs have been effective, as the number of cases of listeriosis have decreased in the past years, but further reductions are desired. The objective of this roundtable discussion is for the regulatory agencies, producers of refrigerated RTE foods, consumers, and researchers to review and discuss the approaches to further improve the safety of refrigerated RTE foods. The roundtable will also discuss the possibility of other food safety issues that might be associated with RTE foods due to gross abuse conditions.