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Timeline of Events Related to Listeria monocytogenes (Lm)
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View the timeline as a PDF image.
1987: FSIS
initiates regulatory microbiological testing for Listeria monocytogenes
(Lm) in Ready to Eat (RTE) meat and poultry products and "zero
tolerance" established.
1997: CDC, FDA and FSIS partnership establishes
Healthy People 2010 goal for Lm. With the 1997 baseline year, the
U.S. government targeted to reduce infections caused by Lm by half
from 0.5 cases per 100,000 people to 0.25 case per 100,000 by 2010.
February 3, 1998: FSIS Directive 10,240.1: "Listeria
monocytogenes; Testing Procedures and Sanitation Information"
issued.
Fall 1998: Major Lm outbreak in which hotdogs
and possibly deli meats are implicated. CDC reports 101 illnesses,
15 deaths, and 6 stillbirths or miscarriages associated with the outbreak.
February 10, 1999: Public Meeting held to gather
information on Lm and listeriosis associated with RTE meat and poultry
products in response to 1998 and 1999 outbreaks. FR
Notice: "Listeria Contamination of RTE Products; compliance
with the HACCP system regulations" and Listeria Guidelines
for Industry issued (May 1999).
January 2000: Direct Rule "Food Additives
for Use in Meat and Poultry Products: Sodium Diacetate, Sodium Acetate,
Sodium Lactate and Potassium Lactate" issued. FSIS releases revised
action plan for control of Lm for prevention of foodborne listeriosis
and Notice of Public meeting issued (May 2000).
May 2000: Healthy People goal for Lm set to
0.25 case per 100,000 by 2005.
May-December 2000: Outbreak spread over 10 states,
linked to turkey deli meat. CDC identified 29 illnesses, resulting
in 4 deaths and 3 miscarriages.
January 2001: FSIS and FDA jointly published
the Draft Assessment of the Relative Risk to Public Health from Foodborne
Lm Among Selected Categories of RTE Foods.
February 27, 2001: "Performance Standards
for the Production of Processed Meat and Poultry Products: Proposed
Rule" (includes testing food contact surfaces for Listeria
spp.) and Draft Compliance Guidelines issued.
February 25, 2002: FSIS Directive 10,240.2 Rev.
1: "Microbial Sampling of Ready-to-Eat (RTE) Products" issued.
July-September 2002: Multi-state outbreak linked
to turkey deli meat products, resulting in 46 illnesses, 7 deaths,
and 3 stillbirths and miscarriages.
November 2002: Public Meeting: Summit on Lm
held for experts from government, academia, industry and consumer
organizations to discuss current government thinking and activities
regarding Lm.
December 9, 2002: FSIS Directive 10,240.3: "Microbial
Sampling of Ready-to-Eat (RTE) Products for the FSIS Verification
Testing Program" issued.
February 2003: FSIS holds a public meeting on
the draft Risk Assessment for Lm in Deli Meat, and released the completed
draft risk assessment in May 2003.
June 2003: Interim Final Rule "Control
of Listeria monocytogenes in Ready-to-Eat Meat and Poultry
Products" and Compliance Guidelines issued. Released Questions
and Answers (Q&A's) for the Interim Final Rule.
September 2003: FSIS and FDA jointly publish
the Final Assessment of the Relative Risk to Public Health from Foodborne
Lm Among Selected Categories of RTE Foods. Workshops held on implementing
controls for Lm (September-October 2003).
October 28, 2003: Report "Reducing the Risk of Lm: Joint Response
to the President" released.
September 2004: Report assessing the Effectiveness
of the "Listeria monocytogenes Interim Final Rule"
issued. The report found that the rule led many establishments to
make improvements to address Lm.
December 2004: Notice 61-04, describing the
RTE001 sampling program, published. Under this program, establishments
are selected according to a risk ranking and products are collected
according to a priority list.
March 2006: FSIS Directives 10,240.4 and 10,240.5
issued. Under this program, establishments are selected based on a
risk-ranking model and products, environmental and food-contact surface
samples are collected.
April 2006: FoodNet Data show Lm levels are
approaching national health objectives.
May 2006: Compliance Guidelines to Control Lm
in Post-Lethality Exposed RTE Meat and Poultry Products and Questions
and Answers (Q's and A's) for the interim final rule updated. |
Last Modified:
February 16, 2007 |
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