Safe Until Served: The Hidden Risks of RTE Foods in Retail
Retail and foodservice operations must take active responsibility for the safety of RTE products by treating them as high-risk items requiring ongoing control
Ready-to-eat (RTE) foods have become a cornerstone of modern retail and foodservice operations. From pre-packaged deli meats and salads to cooked poultry and seafood, these products offer convenience and efficiency to consumers and workers alike. However, behind their seemingly secure packaging lies a complex web of food safety challenges that are often overlooked once the product leaves the manufacturing facility.
This article explores the critical yet underappreciated vulnerabilities of RTE foods in retail and foodservice settings. It underscores how the assumption of safety can create blind spots in handling practices, the consequences of supplier-level failures, and the vital importance of reheating protocols and environmental controls to prevent contamination by pathogens such as Listeria monocytogenes.
The Illusion of Safety
The label "ready-to-eat" implies a promise: that the product has been processed in a way that makes it safe for immediate consumption. This perception is grounded in reality—RTE manufacturers are required to follow stringent food safety regulations under the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), including validated kill steps, environmental monitoring, and preventive controls to reduce the risk of foodborne pathogens.1
That promise has limitations, however. Once RTE products leave the controlled environment of a processing plant, the safety of those products depends heavily on what happens next. In retail and foodservice environments, where cross-contamination, improper storage, and human error are persistent and evolving challenges, the risk to consumers can increase significantly.
A Critical Control Point at the Point of Use
Retail and foodservice employees frequently assume that the work of ensuring food safety has already been done upstream. As a result, critical post-packaging handling steps are often deprioritized. This is a dangerous assumption.
The moment an RTE product is opened from the original manufacturer's packaging, it becomes vulnerable. Gloved hands may not be changed between tasks. Utensils and cutting boards may not be sanitized adequately. Refrigerators may operate just above the safe temperature threshold, or open-air display cases may expose products to fluctuating ambient temperatures. These variables can allow pathogens like Listeria monocytogenes to thrive.2
Unlike other bacterial pathogens, Listeria can survive and grow in cold, wet environments, making it particularly dangerous in retail delis and foodservice prep areas. Contaminated slicers, cutting boards, or employee hands can transfer the pathogen from one product to another, creating a high-risk scenario that is invisible to the naked eye.3
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Supplier Failures and Cold Chain Breakdown
Even before the product reaches the back-of-house, risks may already be present due to supplier failures. Some manufacturers have experienced contamination issues in their processing environments, resulting in undetected Listeria monocytogenes or other pathogens surviving through to the final product.4
In some cases, this is due to inadequate environmental monitoring, poorly designed sanitation programs, or unaddressed harborage points that allow pathogens to persist. In other cases, the failure lies in the cold chain. RTE products must be kept at or below 5 °C (41 °F) from production to consumption. Breaks in the cold chain during transport, receiving, or storage can allow bacterial pathogens that may have been present in low numbers to multiply.5
Retailers and foodservice operators must be vigilant in reviewing and verifying supplier food safety plans, including microbial testing data, sanitation procedures, and cold chain verification. Blind trust in supplier labels can no longer be considered a sufficient control measure.
Additionally, reheating RTE foods to 74 °C (165 °F) at the retail or foodservice level is a critical intervention that can help mitigate the risk of Listeria exposure in the event of such supplier failures.6
The Reheating Safety Net: 74 °C/165 °F Matters
If an RTE product has been compromised upstream, one of the last lines of defense is reheating. Many RTE animal protein products—such as cooked chicken, roast beef, or pulled pork—can be safely reheated to 74 °C (165 °F) before serving, which is sufficient to destroy Listeria monocytogenes and most other pathogens.6
However, in many retail and foodservice settings, this critical step is skipped. Workers may serve pre-cooked items directly from the package to the customer, assuming no further intervention is needed. When a product is reheated to below 74 °C (165 °F) or only warmed for palatability, any bacteria present may survive the process, leading to potentially serious consequences.
Educating staff on proper reheating procedures and enforcing them through policies and regular training are essential. In some cases, operational procedures may need to be restructured entirely to incorporate reheating steps where they are currently absent.
Date Marking and Holding Time
Even if products are handled carefully and the cold chain is maintained, time is another enemy of food safety. RTE products that are opened and held too long can become breeding grounds for pathogens. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Food Code requires that opened RTE refrigerated foods be date marked and used or discarded within seven days if held at or below 5 °C (41 °F).7
Unfortunately, in many operations, date marking is inconsistently applied or not enforced at all. Some items may linger in prep coolers or deli cases far beyond the safe holding window, increasing the likelihood of microbial growth. Implementing clear, consistent date-marking procedures and routinely auditing for compliance can significantly reduce this risk.
Cross-Contamination: The Unseen Threat
Cross-contamination remains one of the most persistent and difficult-to-detect risks in foodservice environments. The reuse of knives, tongs, cutting boards, and even gloves without adequate cleaning or changing can lead to the transfer of pathogens from contaminated RTE products to clean ones.
In one real-world example, a multi-state outbreak of listeriosis was linked to deli meats handled with contaminated equipment in retail delis. Although the products were fully cooked and packaged safely at the manufacturing level, they became contaminated through slicers that were not properly sanitized between uses.7
To prevent such incidents, food establishments must emphasize frequent cleaning of food contact surfaces, especially when switching between different products or product batches. Slicers, in particular, should be disassembled, cleaned, and sanitized at least every four hours when in continuous use, as per FDA recommendations.5
Culture and Training: The Human Factor
The best procedures and equipment in the world cannot overcome a weak food safety culture. If staff are not trained to understand the importance of RTE food safety or if shortcuts are normalized, then risk increases exponentially.
Food safety training programs must specifically address the unique vulnerabilities of RTE foods. Employees must be trained in proper glove use, handwashing, temperature controls, reheating procedures, cleaning and sanitizing protocols, and the importance of date marking.
Equally important is creating an environment where food safety is a shared value rather than a regulatory burden. Leadership must model good behavior, hold staff accountable, and foster a culture where safety and quality are inseparable.
Technology and Verification Tools
Advances in food safety technology can provide additional layers of protection. Infrared thermometers, digital temperature logging, and automated alerts for refrigeration failures can help maintain cold chain integrity.
Labeling systems that integrate use-by dates and product tracking can improve compliance and traceability. Environmental monitoring tools, such as ATP swabs or microbial sampling, can help identify contamination risks early in both supplier and retail environments.
While technology can enhance food safety, it must be paired with rigorous verification and validation processes. "Trust but verify" remains a golden rule when it comes to ensuring RTE product safety.
Takeaway: Food Safety Starts When the Seal Breaks
"Ready-to-eat" does not mean "ready-to-ignore." The moment a package is opened, the food enters a new risk environment—one shaped by human behavior, facility conditions, and supplier performance.
Retail and foodservice operations must take active responsibility for the safety of RTE products by treating them as high-risk items requiring ongoing control. This includes proper cold chain management, supplier oversight, reheating when appropriate, cross-contamination prevention, and time/temperature control.
Above all, this control requires a cultural shift—one that moves away from assuming safety comes in a sealed package, and toward the mindset that food safety begins again with every cut, every scoop, and every service. Food that is "safe until served" is only truly safe when every hand that touches it knows the risk and owns the responsibility.
References
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). FSMA Final Rule for Preventive Controls for Human Food. September 2015. https://www.fda.gov/food/food-safety-modernization-act-fsma/fsma-final-rule-preventive-controls-human-food.
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA-FSIS). "Listeria Questions and Answers." 2023. https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/foodborne-illness-and-disease/illnesses-and-pathogens/listeria.
- Soucheray, S. "USDA notes several food safety lapses tied to Boar's Head Listeria outbreak." University of Minnesota, Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP). January 13, 2025. https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/listeria/usda-notes-several-food-safety-lapses-tied-boars-head-listeria-outbreak.
- USDA-FSIS. "Comparative Risk Assessment for Listeria monocytogenes in Ready-to-Eat Meat and Poultry Deli Products—Executive Summary" May 2010. https://www.fsis.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media_file/2020-07/Comparative_RA_Lm_Exec_Summ_May2010.pdf.
- FDA. 2022 Food Code. December 2022. https://www.fda.gov/media/164194/download.
- USDA-FSIS. "FSIS Cooking Guideline for Meat and Poultry Products (Revised Appendix A)." December 2021. https://www.fsis.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media_file/2021-12/Appendix-A.pdf.
- U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). "2020 Outbreak of Listeria Infections Linked in Deli Meats—Investigation Updates." January 28, 2021. https://archive.cdc.gov/#/details?url=https://www.cdc.gov/listeria/outbreaks/delimeat-10-20/updates.html.
Michelle Wollenzien is the Founder of InnoSafe Foods, a consulting firm dedicated to elevating food safety systems across retail, foodservice, and food processing. With over 20 years of experience, Michelle has led cross-functional initiatives in regulatory compliance, risk mitigation, and food safety culture transformation. She also partners with KTLO Solutions, a business specializing in emergency preparedness and business continuity, and actively collaborates with other consulting firms to deliver holistic, science-based solutions that protect businesses and the consumers they serve.
Known for her practical, hands-on approach and industry-wide thought leadership, she specializes in bridging compliance with operations and building food safety systems that are realistic, resilient, and respected from back-of-house to boardroom. She is also a speaker, educator, and contributor on topics ranging from HACCP to including food safety in company culture, and is currently working with clients to strengthen preventive controls across the RTE food supply chain.
