Beef carpaccio is a ready to eat product (RTE) that can be
contaminated with foodborne pathogens during its processing.
Raw or cured pieces of meat usually frozen are sliced, packaged
under vacuum or modified atmospheres and marketed at refrigeration
temperature. The risk of the product increases when stored
at temperature abuse conditions. Listeria monocytogenes can persist
in the processing environment adhered to stainless steel surfaces
which act as reservoir of contamination. Salmonella is found in the
environment and in the gastrointestinal tract of farmed and wild
animals. Escherichia coli O157:H7, a verocytotoxin producing E. coli
(VTEC), associated with both outbreaks and sporadic cases, can be
shed in animal faeces and contaminate the surfaces of raw meat
during the slaughter, dressing and packaging. The incidence of reported
foodborne illness for L. monocytogenes and VTEC decreased,
whereas for salmonellosis increased since 2006e2008 in the
United States (CDC, 2011). In the European Union, cases attributed
to L. monocytogenes and Salmonella have decreased during the last
years, but VTEC infections have increased since 2008 (EFSA and
ECDC, 2013). RTE meat products stored at temperature abuse
conditions can result in spoiled or unsafe food relatively early due
to faster multiplication of microorganisms. According to Pal et al.
(2008) in the event of contamination of deli meat and poultry
food with L. monocytogenes even with a lowest detectable level, the
pathogen was able to grow especially at 8 and 12 C.