A survey for Listeria monocytogenes in sliced-at-the-counter cooked meat products indicated that consumers should aim to use these meats as soon as possible after purchase.
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) currently advises that the vast majority of perishable chilled foods including sliced-at-the counter cooked meats should be stored according to the retailer’s instructions or, in the absence of any instructions, eaten within 48 hours.
Laboratory tests found that 7.3% of freshly sliced cooked meats in this survey were contaminated with the germ Listeria monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes) on their day of purchase. In a few cases (0.4%) the meat sample had levels of this organism which failed to comply with food safety legislation. This could have been potentially hazardous, particularly to people vulnerable to listeriosis such as those whose immunity to disease has been lowered by illness or treatment, pregnant women and their unborn babies and people aged over 60.
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