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ObjectiveTo investigate the contamination of Listeria monocytogenes (LM) in ready-to-eat (RTE) food in Chongqing and make a preliminary risk assessment, which would provide scientific basis for the prevention.MethodsTwo thousand six hundred and eighty food samples were collected from 39 districts and counties of Chongqing and LM testing was carried out according to the national standard. A risk ranger tool was used to make preliminary risk asseeement for LM in RTE food.ResultsThe prevalence of LM in RTE food was 1.77%. The detection rate of LM in Chinese cold dishes was higher than that in cooked meat products, raw aquatic products and RTE bean products (P<0.05). The detection rate of LM in supermarkets, restaurants, farmer's markets and convenience stores were about the same (P>0.05). The peak season of LM contamination was the fourth season (P>0.05). In the form of packaging, contamination mainly came from bulk food (P<0.05). In Chongqing, the annual incidence of listeriosis caused by consumption of cooked meat products, Chinese cold dishes, raw aquatic products and RTE bean products was estimated to be 633.7 cases, 134.7 cases, 2.4 cases and 31.5 cases per million population respectively.ConclusionThe surveillance data showed that LM were existed at different levels in RTE food in Chongqing. Preliminary risk assessment showed the LM risk of cooked meat products was relatively high. It is suggested that effective control and monitoring measures should be taken in the later stage of RTE food processing, and the quantitative risk assessment study of Listeria monocytogenes in cooked meat products and Chinese cold dishes should be given priority to reduce the potential harm.