Listeria monocytogenes, Listeriosis and Control Strategies: What the Retail Deli and Food Safety Manager Need to Know

Abstract

Listeria monocytogenes is a foodborne pathogen which causes a prolonged invasive infection called listeriosis. Symptoms can include meningitis, encephalitis, late-term abortions in pregnant women, and death in immune compromised persons. Ready-to-eat (RTE) deli meats, deli salads, soft cheeses, and smoked seafood are the highest risk foods per serving for listeriosis in the United States, and RTE meats sliced at retail are estimated to account for 83 % of deli-meat associated listeriosis cases. Controlling L. monocytogenes transmission and growth in RTE foods, including food handled in the deli, can reduce the risk of listeriosis and improve public health. Leadership from immediate supervisors and managers is among the largest determinates for daily food safety practices by food service employees. This chapter is structured to (1) give retail food safety managers, store managers, and deli department managers an introduction to L. monocytogenes and listeriosis, (2) identify foods and environmental surfaces of concern for L. monocytogenes contamination, and (3) describe action-based control strategies deli managers and store managers can use to improve food safety practices and subsequently public health.