Advanced technologies help manufacturers of prepared foods and ready-to-eat meals ensure compliance with food safety regulations today - and tomorrowAs consumers lead increasingly active, on-the-go lifestyles, demand for convenient meal options continues to grow and drive opportunity for ready-to-eat (RTE) and prepared foods manufacturers.However, as opportunity grows, the ongoing evolution of the global food safety regulatory environment may present many challenges to manufacturers that operate within highly complex supply chains. That's particularly true in the United States, where manyof the provisions of the Food Safety Modernization Act are still pending.RTE products are not typically reheated prior to serving, and some, such as sliced meats, have been linked to illnesses caused by foodborne pathogens. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has reported recalls of nearly a half-million pounds of RTE in 2012 because of the presence of Listeria monocytogenes, the bacterium that causes listeriosis, or the listeria illness. In an effort to also reduce the number of food pathogen related recalls, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has proposed additional rules aimed at proactively controlling the occurrence of potentially dangerous food-related illness.
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