Retail food store deli departments with well-developed Food Safety Management Systems were more likely to properly control foodborne illness risk factors than delis with less developed FSMS, according to a new report from the Food and Drug Administration. The report is part of a 10-year initiative that examines when foodborne illness risk factors occur and their relationship to FSMS and Certified Food Protection Managers.
The report also found that delis with a CFPM in charge have significantly better developed FSMS than delis that do not have a CFPM present or employed.
Deli departments had the best control over ensuring no bare-hand contact with ready-to-eat foods and cooking raw animal foods to required temperatures. However, the most common safety behaviors and practices that need better control included ensuring employees practice proper handwashing, holding foods requiring refrigerating at the proper temperature, and cooling foods properly.
Related: FDA’s Food Traceability Rule and Its Effect on Specialty Food; CDC: Listeria Outbreak Linked to Deli Meats.