Ready-to-Eat Foods

Several severe and high-profile outbreaks of food-borne illness linked to the consumption of ready-to-eat (RTE) foods have prompted the USDA and FDA to issue stringent rules and regulations governing the manufacturing or RTE foods. This book comprehensively reviews individual common RTE food and their specific safety-related aspects since RTE foods are normally consumed without prior cooking, a step that kills pathogenic microorganisms that may be present in the food products. This text also provides an overview of the microorganisms of concern, the effect of processing on the survival of pathogenic and spoilage microorganisms, food safety, practical control measures, and intervention strategies.