Achieving Continuous Improvements In Reductions In Foodborne Listeriosis – A Risk Based Approach.
Goal
The goal of the project is to consider the use of risk-based approaches to reduce the incidence of foodborne listeriosis.
Project Rationale
Listeria monocytogenes is a foodborne pathogen that can cause listeriosis, a severe disease, with symptoms including septicemia, meningitis, and spontaneous abortion. L. monocytogenes is widespread in the environment and present at low levels in many ready-to-eat foods. Consumption of contaminated foods is the primary means of human infection. Invasive listeriosis typically occurs in susceptible individuals who have one or more underlying conditions which predispose them to this disease. Susceptible individuals include patients with cancer or undergoing treatment with steroids or cytotoxic drugs; pregnant women or neonates; renal transplant recipients; patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS); diabetics and the elderly. The current level of listeriosis in the USA is estimated to be around 3.3 cases per 1,000,000 population per year, based on preliminary US FoodNet surveillance data but this disease has an estimated case fatality rate of 20 to 30%, considerably higher than most other foodborne pathogens. Ongoing efforts are needed to ensure continuous reductions in the public health impact of this illness, due to its high fatality rate.
Approach
ILSI RSI initially established a steering committee to help frame the specific objectives and scope of the project, to identify the questions that should be answered by an Expert Panel and to provide input on the selection of the panel. The Expert Panel was convened in September 2002 and met four times over two years to produce the report.
Current Status of Project
The Expert Panel identified susceptible individuals and high-risk foods associated with this disease. Three main strategies were identified for ensuring continuous improvement in reducing foodborne listeriosis: (1) preventing contamination of foods with L. monocytogenes; (2) preventing growth of L. monocytogenes to high numbers in foods; and (3) science-based education messages targeted to susceptible populations and their caregivers. Effective food safety control measures should be implemented and steps should be taken to ensure that they are consistently met. Science-based education and risk communication strategies aimed at susceptible populations and focused on high-risk foods should be delivered through health care providers or other credible sources of information. Draft reports were presented at the 2003 Annual Meeting of the International Association for Food Protection (IAFP), and the Annual Meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (Feb 2004). Also, the report’s summary was provided to the Codex Committee on Food Hygiene in March 2004, to help with their deliberations on risk management strategies for Listeria monocytogenes in Foods.
In 2005, the panel’s findings were described in a report, Achieving Continuous Improvement in Reductions in Foodborne Listeriosis – A Risk Based Approach, published in the Journal of Food Protection Vol. 68, No. 9. Click here for details on this report. Also, a report was published in the journal Meat Science (Role of Quantitative Risk Assessment and Food Safety Objectives in Managing Listeria monocytogenes on Ready-To-Eat Meats, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.meatsci.2006.04.029