These guidelines are intended for ready-to-eat foods and are applicable throughout the food chain, from primary production through consumption. These guidelines will focus on control measures that can be used, where appropriate, to minimize and/or prevent the contamination and/or the growth of L. monocytogenes in ready-to-eat foods. These guidelines highlight key control measures that affect key factors that influence the frequency and extent of contamination of ready-to-eat foods with L. monocytogenes and thus the risk of listeriosis.