FDA Study Finds Temperature Control, Hygiene Among Most Common Problems at Retail Delis

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The FDA released results from its 2019-2022 study of foodborne illness risk factors at randomly selected retail delis across the United States.

Source: Food & Drug Administration

Improper temperature control and poor personal hygiene were the most common food safety problems found in a nationwide study of retail delis, according to a new report from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

The FDA released results from its 2019-2022 study of foodborne illness risk factors at randomly selected retail delis across the United States. The research is part of a continuing effort to track food safety practices and identify conditions that can contribute to foodborne illness outbreaks.

Improper holding times and temperatures were among the problems most frequently found out of compliance, along with poor personal hygiene.

Inadequate cooking, by comparison, was the least commonly identified risk factor. The study also found that management practices made a significant difference. Delis with a Certified Food Protection Manager serving as the person in charge at the time of the FDA’s assessment received significantly better food safety management system scores than delis without one.

More broadly, the FDA found that having a well-developed food safety management system was the strongest predictor that foodborne illness risk factors would be minimized.

Foodborne illness risk factors are food preparation practices that can contribute to outbreaks, including inadequate cooking, poor personal hygiene and using food from unsafe sources.

The FDA also released two fact sheets with calls to action for regulators and the food industry intended to focus attention on improving food safety practices identified in the study. The agency said the findings will be used to help identify where additional interventions, resources and technical assistance may be needed.

The results will also be used to evaluate trends in foodborne illness risk factors during future data collections. The FDA’s next round of retail food safety data collection is scheduled to begin in October 2026.