Meat processors, especially those operations manufacturing ready-to-eat (RTE) foods, are under great pressure to assure the safety of their products. Almost all RTE products, including sausages and luncheon meats, are thermally processed to destroy pathogenic organisms, so they are safe immediately after the process. Unfortunately, should these products be mishandled after processing, or packaged in a less than sanitary environment, they could become contaminated with pathogenic organisms such as Listeria monocytogenes. Contamination with this pathogen has resulted in a number of product recalls, and caused numerous outbreaks with many illnesses and, sadly enough, several deaths.
To help assure the safety of RTE meats, the United States Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service has enacted legislature aimed at minimizing the potential for foodborne illness from these products. The agency encourages meat processors to upgrade sanitation, utilize post-packaging processes and antimicrobial agents as part of this program. In fact, the greater the commitment that companies make to safety, the less chance the agency will pull samples for testing.