The FDA and the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) of the USDA have announced the availability of two documents: a draft risk assessment on the relationship between foodborne Listeria and human health that considers 20 ready-to-eat food categories, and a risk management action plan based on the Listeria risk assessment.
The risk assessment reinforces past conclusions that foodborne listeriosis is a moderately rare but severe disease; supports the findings of epidemiological investigations of both sporadic illness and outbreaks of listeriosis; and states new case control studies are needed to reflect changes in food processing, distribution patterns, preparation, and consumption practices.