Summary
The Meat standards australia Committee has brought out a new guideline on testing for Listeria monocytogenes called 'Regulatory guidelines for the control of Listeria'.
The guideline follows a food poisoning incident in South Australia in 2005 when ready-to-eat - RTE - meat was implicated as the cause of the listeriosis illnesses and deaths.
This guideline is being implemented in each state and will affect retailers of RTE meats.
The purpose of this brochure is to advise and assist you in complying with the new guidelines.
We've written it following feedback from workshops held for retail butchers in South Australia and Victoria. We include some key points brought up by your colleagues in these States.
We wish to thank Kevin Cottrill from the Australian Meat Industry Council and Geoff Raven from Primary Industry and Resources South Australia for their contributions to this brochure.
