The new Listeria Guidance recently published by the Food Standards Agency is aimed predominantly at health care and social care organisations. The Listeria Guidance has been complied with the intention to help businesses put steps in place to reduce the likelihood of Listeria monocytogenes in ready-to-eat foods and to complement good practice in the food industry.
Listeriosis is a foodborne illness caused by the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes. It is rare but can cause serious illness and death in vulnerable groups of the population. The vulnerable group includes the elderly, babies, expectant mothers and people with weakened immune systems (cancer patients, patients undergoing immunosuppressive or cytotoxic treatment, to name a few).
The guidance document identifies the food pathway (i.e how food can be transferred to the vulnerable person) and what must be put in place to minimise the risk contamination by Listeria.
Key principles for reducing the risk from Listeria in foods are:
Full details on the steps that should be taken to reduce the spread of Listera monocytogenes is available in the guidance document
The Listeria Guidance applies to England, Wales and Northen Ireland. In Scotland, this guidance is promoted by Food Standards, Scotland.
For further information regarding the Listeria Guidance
https://www.food.gov.uk/business-industry/guidancenotes/listeria-guidance
http://www.food.gov.uk/sites/default/files/listeria-guidance-june2016.pdf