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Ready-to-eat (RTE) meat and poultry product samples collected between 2005 and 2017 from RTE-producing establishments for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) ALLRTE/RTEPROD_RAND (random) and RTE001/RTEPROD_RISK (risk-based) sampling projects were tested for Listeria monocytogenes(Lm). Data for 45,897 ALLRTE/RTEPROD_RAND samples collected from 3,607 distinct establishments and 112,347 RTE001/RTEPROD_RISK samples collected from 3,283 distinct establishments were analyzed for the presence of Lm. These data were also analyzed based upon the percentages of establishments with positive samples, annual production volume, sanitation control alternatives, geographic location, and season or month of sample collection. Results revealed low occurrence of Lm-positive samples from the random and risk-based sampling projects, with 152 (0.33%) positive samples for ALLRTE/RTEPROD_RAND and 403 (0.36%) positive samples for RTE001/RTEPROD_RISK. The percentage of positive samples significantly decreased over time, from about 0.7% in 2005 and 2006 to about 0.2% in 2017 (P< 0.05). From 2005 to 2017, 3.9% of establishments sampled under the ALLRTE/RTEPROD_RAND sampling project had at least one Lm-positive sample. Similarly, 10.0% of establishments sampled under the RTE001/RTEPROD_RISK sampling project had at least one positive sample. Samples positive for Lmwere found in all geographic regions in all months. Thus, in 13 years of RTE product sampling in FSIS-regulated establishments (2005 through 2017), <0.4% of samples were positive for Lmin both risk-based and random sampling projects. The low prevalence of Lmin these products suggests that the combination of FSIS policies and industry practices may be effective for controlling Lmcontamination. Information obtained from these sampling projects is relevant to the ongoing prevention of foodborne Lmillnesses from RTE meat and poultry products.

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Ready-to-eat (RTE) meat and poultry product samples from the random ALLRTE and risk-based RTE001 sampling projects of the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) were tested for both Listeria monocytogenesand Salmonella. In the course of analyzing Salmonelladata for calendar years 2005 to 2012, it was observed that 8 (17.0%) of 47 positive samples were from pork barbecue. The eight Salmonella-positive samples, from seven establishments in a single state, were from 1,085 pork barbecue samples tested nationwide (0.74% positive) and from 296 samples tested from that one state (2.7% positive). The seven establishments represented 30.4% of 23 federal establishments in that state that had pork barbecue samples tested for Salmonella. A follow-up sample from intensified verification testing at one of the seven establishments also was positive for Salmonella. Upon further examination, contamination appeared to be influenced by regional differences in production methods. Notably, the style of pork barbecue that tested positive for Salmonellaused a vinegar- and pepper-based sauce in which the ingredients were mixed without cooking. All the establishments with Salmonella-positive samples followed the practice of first cooking the pork and then adding the barbecue sauce ingredients (vinegar, pepper, other spices, etc.) after cooking (postlethality exposure). In addition to the sauce ingredients, other possible sources of contamination included employee hygiene and food handling practices and cross-contamination from other Salmonella-contaminated products and from commonly used equipment. Based on these findings, the FSIS issued guidelines recommending changes in production methods that would minimize or eliminate pork barbecue as a potential source of foodborne Salmonellainfections.

Ready-to-eat (RTE) meat and poultry product samples collected from RTE-producing establishments for the ALLRTE (random) and RTE001 (risk-based) sampling projects of the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) were tested for both Salmonellaand Listeria monocytogenes. The FSIS analyzed Salmonellaresults for RTE meat and poultry product samples collected for the two sampling projects from 2005 to 2012. Data for 24,385 ALLRTE samples collected from 3,023 establishments and 66,653 RTE001 samples collected from 2,784 establishments were evaluated for the percentages of Salmonella-positive samples, product types of positive samples, and Salmonellaserotypes. There also were descriptive summaries with respect to establishment hazard analysis and critical control point (HACCP) size, production volumes, L. monocytogenescontrol alternatives, geographic location, and season or month of sample collection. Results showed low occurrences of Salmonella-positive samples from the ALLRTE and RTE001 sampling projects, with 14 positive samples (0.06%) for ALLRTE and 33 positive samples (0.05%) for RTE001. Percentages of establishments with at least one Salmonella-positive sample averaged 0.46% for ALLRTE and 1.11% for RTE001. Three product types—sausage products, pork barbecue, and head cheese—accounted for 62% of all positive samples. There were 27 distinct serotypes from 48 Salmonellaisolates, with serotypes Infantis and Typhimurium being the most common (5 isolates each). All but one of the Salmonella-positive samples were obtained from establishments with HACCP sizes of small or very small. More than half of the positive samples were obtained from establishments using L. monocytogenescontrol alternative 3 (sanitation only, highest-risk category). Positive Salmonellasamples were found in all geographic regions at all times of the year. Information obtained from these sampling projects is relevant to the prevention of foodborne Salmonellaillnesses from RTE meat and poultry products.

The objective of this study was to assess the ability of Bacillus cereusspores to germinate and grow in order to determine a safe cooling rate for cooked rice, beans, and pasta, rice-chicken (4:1), rice-chicken-vegetables (3:1:1), rice-beef (4:1), and rice-beef-vegetables (3:1:1). Samples were inoculated with a cocktail of four strains of heat-shocked (80°C for 10 min) B. cereusspores (NCTC 11143, 935A/74, Brad 1, and Mac 1) to obtain a final spore concentration of approximately 2 log CFU/g. Thereafter, samples were exponentially cooled through the temperature range of 54.5 to 7.2°C in 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, and 21 h. At the end of the cooling period, samples were removed and plated on mannitol egg yolk polymyxin agar. The plates were incubated at 30°C for 24 h. The net B. cereusgrowth from spores in beans was <1 log after 9 h of cooling, but the pathogen grew faster in rice and pasta. In combination products, the net growth was as follows: 3.05, 3.89, and 4.91 log CFU/g in rice-chicken; 3.49, 4.28, and 4.96 log CFU/g in rice-beef; 3.50, 4.20, and 5.32 CFU/g in rice–chicken–mixed vegetables; and 3.68, 4.44, and 5.25 CFU/g in rice–beef–mixed vegetables after 15, 18, and 21 h of cooling, respectively. This study suggests safe cooling rates for cooling cooked rice, beans, pasta, rice-chicken, rice-chicken-vegetables, rice-beef, and rice-beef-vegetables to guard against the hazards associated with B. cereus.

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Both high-fat and low-fat ground beef (percent lean:fat = ca. 70:30 and 93:7, respectively) were inoculated with a 6-strain cocktail of non-O157:H7 Shiga toxin--producing Escherichia coli(STEC) or a five-strain cocktail of E. coliO157:H7 (ca. 7.0 log CFU/g). Patties were pressed (ca. 2.54 cm thick, ca. 300 g each) and then refrigerated (4°C, 18 to 24 h), or frozen (-18°C, 3 weeks), or frozen (-18°C, 3 weeks) and then thawed (4°C for 18 h or 21°C for 10 h) before being cooked on commercial gas or electric grills to internal temperatures of 60 to 76.6°C. For E. coliO157:H7, regardless of grill type or fat level, cooking refrigerated patties to 71.1 or 76.6°C decreased E. coliO157:H7 numbers from an initial level of ca. 7.0 log CFU/g to a final level of ≤1.0 log CFU/g, whereas decreases to ca. 1.1 to 3.1 log CFU/g were observed when refrigerated patties were cooked to 60.0 or 65.5°C. For patties that were frozen or freeze-thawed and cooked to 71.1 or 76.6°C, E. coliO157:H7 numbers decreased to ca. 1.7 or ≤0.7 log CFU/g. Likewise, pathogen numbers decreased to ca. 0.7 to 3.7 log CFU/g in patties that were frozen or freeze-thawed and cooked to 60.0 or 65.5°C. For STEC, regardless of grill type or fat level, cooking refrigerated patties to 71.1 or 76.6°C decreased pathogen numbers from ca. 7.0 to ≤0.7 log CFU/g, whereas decreases to ca. 0.7 to 3.6 log CFU/g were observed when refrigerated patties were cooked to 60.0 or 65.5°C. For patties that were frozen or freeze-thawed and cooked to 71.1 or 76.6°C, STEC numbers decreased to a final level of ca. 1.5 to ≤0.7 log CFU/g. Likewise, pathogen numbers decreased from ca. 7.0 to ca. 0.8 to 4.3 log CFU/g in patties that were frozen or freeze-thawed and cooked to 60.0 or 65.5°C. Thus, cooking ground beef patties that were refrigerated, frozen, or freeze-thawed to internal temperatures of 71.1 and 76.6°C was effective for eliminating ca. 5.1 to 7.0 log CFU of E. coliO157:H7 and STEC per g.

The ability of Clostridium perfringensto germinate and grow in acidified ground beef as well as in 10 commercially prepared acidified beef, pork, and poultry products was assessed. The pH of ground beef was adjusted with organic vinegar to achieve various pH values between 5.0 and 5.6; the pH of the commercial products ranged from 4.74 to 6.35. Products were inoculated with a three-strain cocktail of C. perfringensspores to achieve ca. 2-log (low) or 4-log (high) inoculum levels, vacuum packaged, and cooled exponentially from 54.4 to 7.2°C for 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, or 21 h to simulate abusive cooling; the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA-FSIS) recommends a cooling time of 6.5 h. Total germinated C. perfringenspopulations were determined after plating on tryptose-sulfite-cycloserine agar and incubating the plates anaerobically at 37°C for 48 h. In addition, C. perfringensgrowth from spores was assessed at an isothermal temperature of 44°C. Growth from spores was inhibited in ground beef with a pH of 5.5 or below, even during extended cooling from 54.4 to 7.2°C in 21 h. In ground beef with a pH of 5.6, the growth was >1 log after 18 h of cooling from 54.4 to 7.2°C. However, 15 h of cooling controlled the growth to <1 log, regardless of the inoculum level. In addition, no growth was observed in any product with a pH ranging from 4.74 to 5.17, both during exponential abusive cooling periods of up to 21 h and during storage for 21 h at 44°C. While <1-log growth of C. perfringensfrom spores was observed in the pH 5.63 product cooled exponentially from 54.4 to 7.2°C in 15 h or less, the pH 6.35 product supported growth, even after 6 h of cooling from 54.4 to 7.2°C. These challenge tests demonstrate that adjustment of ground beef to pH of 5.5 or less and of barbeque products to pH of 5.63 or less inhibits C. perfringensspore germination and outgrowth during extended cooling periods from 54.4 to 7.2°C up to 15 h. Therefore, safe cooling periods for products with homogeneous, lower pHs can be substantially longer.

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