Health Canada has completed its update of the Canadian Policy on Listeria monocytogenes in Ready-to-Eat (RTE) Foods.

Fresh Ideation Food Group of Baltimore, Maryland has recalled more than 400 products due to the presence of Listeria monocytogenes. Vendors that sold recalled products include Amtrak, which served affected foods to its customers on the Acela and Northeast regional train lines.

A pervasive trend exists to take larger and more frequent samples to address microbial contamination. This trend has touched almonds and is expected to hit other nut products, which can be considered for aggregated sampling as a solution.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) recently published two reports—one on control measures for Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) in meat and dairy products, and another reviewing Listeria monocytogenes attribution, characterization, and monitoring in ready-to-eat (RTE) foods.

A recent study has estimated that removing products with a concentration of Listeria monocytogenes higher than 1 CFU/g could greatly reduce food contamination and associated foodborne illness cases. The study also found ready-to-eat (RTE) foods to be of greatest concern.

A recent study has expanded upon the available knowledge about Arcobacter, an emerging foodborne pathogen that causes human illness, revealing findings related to Arcobacter’s food sources, virulence and biofilm formation traits, and genetic characterization.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is issuing a public health alert for ready-to-eat entrees due to the products containing FDA-regulated ingredients that have been recalled by Mann’s Packing Co. due to possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination.  

Certified Laboratories discusses food safety practices designed to seek and destroy listeria and other foodborne pathogens in ready-to-eat food processing facilities.