What’s Your Listeria Action Plan?

<p>By: Hilary Thesmar, PhD, RD, FMI Vice President, Food Safety Programs, Food Marketing Institute<br /> <img src="http://www.fmi.org/images/default-source/food-safety-security/listeria-action-plan-cover.jpg?sfvrsn=2&amp;MaxWidth=350&amp;MaxHeight=&amp;ScaleUp=false&amp;Quality=High&amp;Method=ResizeFitToAreaArguments&amp;Signature=048BE7D9BC160D8DBBD5F146F1A0A615" data-method="ResizeFitToAreaArguments" data-customsizemethodproperties="{'MaxWidth':'350','MaxHeight':'','ScaleUp':false,'Quality':'High'}" data-displaymode="Custom" alt="Listeria Action Plan cover" title="Listeria Action Plan cover" style="float: right; margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 10px;" /> </p> <p>While 41 percent of consumers hold food retailers responsible for ensuring food safety, 93 percent of consumers trust their grocery store to actually deliver on that expectation (<a href="http://www.fmi.org/grocerytrends"><em>FMI U.S. Grocery Shopper Trends 2015</em></a>). Retailers work tirelessly to serve customers and the health and safety of customers is at the top of the list of priorities. </p> <p>FMI recently invested in an updated <a href="http://www.fmi.org/docs/default-source/food-safety-best-practice-guides/fs16-fmi_listeria_2016.pdf?sfvrsn=2">FMI <em>Listeria</em> Action Plan</a> for retailers which reaches beyond the deli. Developed by retail food safety experts, this <a href="http://www.fmi.org/docs/default-source/food-safety-best-practice-guides/fs16-fmi_listeria_2016.pdf?sfvrsn=2">document</a> is simple and usable so that your store managers can take even more conscious steps to reduce the risk of <em>Listeria</em> contamination in supermarket delis, and other departments with fresh and prepared foods. </p> <p>The 2016 recommendations include specific action steps to limit <em>Listeria</em> growth with a focus on time and temperature; controlling product and people volume in RTE production areas; training on cleaning, sanitation and employee practices; complementary cleaning and sanitizing procedures; environmental monitoring plans that includes regular sampling; and incoming ingredient management which specifies best practices for retailer-supplier programs. </p> <p>The timing of the revised <a href="http://www.fmi.org/docs/default-source/food-safety-best-practice-guides/fs16-fmi_listeria_2016.pdf?sfvrsn=2">FMI <em>Listeria</em> Action Plan</a> is particularly relevant as the US Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) embarks on a one year pilot program to evaluate <em>Listeria</em> control practices in retail environments. FSIS inspectors on routine visits to retail stores will be surveying the <em>Listeria</em> control practices in the delis and collecting information for future use by the agency. The FSIS survey is based on a checklist published in the <a href="http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/wcm/connect/29d51258-0651-469b-99b8-e986baee8a54/Controlling-LM-Delicatessens.pdf?MOD=AJPERES">FSIS Best Practices Guidance for Controlling <em>Listeria monocytogenes</em>(Lm) in Retail Delicatessens June 2015. </a>&nbsp;</p> <p>While employee education is foremost, supermarket associates can leverage their knowledge about store procedures and become food safety ambassadors to their customers. The best consumer facing tool is a campaign that the FMI Foundation supported through the Partnership for Food Safety Education in 2015, <a href="http://www.fmi.org/blog/view/fmi-blog/2015/11/06/how-to-help-customers-with-food-refrigeration-at-home">Go 40 and Below</a>. This consumer education program offers tangible messages, infographics, circular content and a sharable video to teach practices on how to avoid &ldquo;the Danger Zone.&rdquo; </p> Want more information? Visit <a href="http://www.fmi.org/food-safety/food-safety-resources">FMI&rsquo;s Center for Food Retail and Defense.</a>