A Comparative Risk Assessment for Listeria monocytogenes in Prepackaged versus Retail-Sliced Deli Meat

Abstract

Deli meat was ranked as the highest-risk ready-to-eat food vehicle of Listeria monocytogenes within the 2003 U.S. Food and Drug Administration and U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service risk assessment. The comparative risk of L. monocytogenes in retail-sliced versus prepackaged deli meats was evaluated with a modified version of this model. Other research has found that retail-sliced deli meats have both higher prevalence and levels of L. monocytogenes than have product sliced and packaged at the manufacturer level. The updated risk assessment model considered slicing location as well as the use of growth inhibitors. The per annum comparative risk ratio for the number of deaths from retail-sliced versus prepackaged deli meats was found to be 4.89, and the per-serving comparative risk ratio was 4.27. There was a significant interaction between the use of growth inhibitors and slicing location. Almost 70% of the estimated deaths occurred from retail-sliced product that did not possess a growth inhibitor. A sensitivity analysis, assessing the effect of the model's consumer storage time and shelf life assumptions, found that even if retail-sliced deli meats were stored for a quarter of the time prepackaged deli meats were stored, retail-sliced product is 1.7 times more likely to result in death from listeriosis. Sensitivity analysis also showed that the shelf life assumption had little effect on the comparative risk ratio.

Whole-Genome Sequencing Allows for Improved Identification of Persistent Listeria monocytogenes in Food-Associated Environments

“…The annual costs of listeriosis, including morbidity, mortality, and lost wages, are estimated at $2.8 billion (2). A 2003 risk assessment attributed 90% of listeriosis cases in the United States to consumption of contaminated ready-to-eat (RTE) deli meats (3), and most (Ͼ60%) of U.S. listeriosis cases linked to RTE deli meats were estimated to be due contamination during retail handling and slicing (4,5). Consequently, the retail deli environment is a focal point for listeriosis reduction efforts.…”

Cheese-related listeriosis outbreak, Portugal, March 2009 to February 2012

“…Increased risk of cross-contamination of ready-to-eat foods by L. monocytogenes in a retail environment has been demonstrated in several studies [17][18][19][20]. For example, a quantitative risk assessment conducted by Endrikat et al suggested that ready-toeat deli meats sliced at a retailer are five times more likely to cause listeriosis than pre-packaged products (per annum basis) [21].…”

Tracking Microbial Contamination in Retail Environments Using Fluorescent Powder - A Retail Delicatessen Environment Example

“…The retail deli environment has an especially high risk for L. monocytogenes contamination. The USDA-FSIS reported that deli meat sliced at the retail store has a seven times higher association with listeriosis that deli meat sliced and packaged at a federally inspected plant 9 .…”

“…While cross contamination can occur within virtually any type of retail food environment, delis are of particular interest specifically because of the association of RTE deli meats with the pathogen Listeria monocytogenes In general, deli meats sliced at retail and food service establishments have been associated with a higher risk of L. monocytogenes compared to presliced deli meats in a USDA inspected plant by the manufacturer 9 . This could be because of the increased likelihood of introduction of pathogens by food handlers, incoming raw ingredients, or processed foods that may become contaminated post-treatment 7 .…”