Pathogen testing of ready-to-eat meat and poultry products collected at federally inspected establishments in the United States, 1990 to 1999

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) conducted microbiological tes ting programs for ready-to-eat (RTE) meat and poultry products produced at approximately 1,800 federally inspected establishments. All samples were co llected at production facilities and not at retail. We report results here for the years 1990 through 1999. Prevalence data for Salmonella, Listeria m onocytogenes, Escherichia coli O157:H7, or staphylococcal enterotoxins in n ine different categories of RTE meat and poultry products are presented and discussed. The prevalence data have certain limitations that restrict stat istical inferences, because these RTE product-testing programs are strictly regulatory in nature and not statistically designed. The cumulative 10-yea r Salmonella prevalences were as follows: jerky, 0.31%; cooked, uncured pou ltry products, 0.10%; large-diameter cooked sausages, 0.07%; small-diameter cooked sausages, 0.20%; cooked beef, roast beef, and cooked corned beef, 0 .22%; salads, spreads, and pates, 0.05%; and sliced ham and luncheon meat, 0.22%. The cumulative 3-year Salmonella prevalence for dry and semidry ferm ented sausages was 1.43%. The cumulative 10-year L. monocytogenes prevalenc es were as follows: jerky, 0.52%; cooked, uncured poultry products, 2.12%; large-diameter cooked sausages, 1.31%; small-diameter cooked sausages, 3.56 %; cooked beef, roast beef, and cooked corned beef, 3.09%; salads, spreads, and pates, 3.03%; and sliced ham and luncheon meat, 5.16%. The cumulative 3-year L. monocytogenes prevalence for dry and semidry fermented sausages w as 3.25%. None of the RTE products tested for E. coli O157:H7 or staphyloco ccal enterotoxins was positive. Although FSIS and the industry have made pr ogress in reducing pathogens in these products, additional efforts are ongo ing to continually improve the safety of all RTE meat and poultry products manufactured in federally inspected establishments in the United States.