A study conducted by Consumer Reports and published in the J. Food Protection was undertaken to determine the incidence of L. monocytogenes in counter-sliced turkey deli meat obtained from independent delis in New York City. Turkey deli meat, counter-sliced on-site, was collected from 118 independent delis in NYC. Two samples from separate delis were confirmed positive for L. monocytogenes (1.69%). Both isolates were obtained from delis that did not have the top inspection grade. Genomic sequences of one of the samples revealed a close match to a cluster of 6 clinical isolates, which were part of the ongoing multi-state listeriosis outbreak in 4 different states. This study suggests that these delis can potentially serve as L. monocytogenes contamination sources or contribute to downstream foodborne listeriosis. Small and independent delis are less likely to follow proper sanitation procedures, including slicer inspection, leading to a higher likelihood of these delis being a reservoir for Listeria monocytogenes growth and cross-contamination. @ https://meridian.allenpress.com/jfp/article-abstract/doi/10.4315/JFP-20-335/448196/Occurrence-of-Listeria-monocytogenes-in-Counter?redirectedFrom=fulltext
