LISTERIA
Brief information about
Listeria monocytogenes
There are 17 species of Listeria (e.g., L. ivanovii, L. innocua), but only Listeria monocytogenes is pathogenic.
L. monocytogenes is widespread in the environment and has been isolated from a variety of sources, including soil, vegetation, silage, fecal material, sewage, and water.
The bacterium is resistant to various environmental conditions, such as high salt content or acidity — allowing it to survive longer under adverse conditions than most other non-spore-forming bacteria of significance in foodborne illness.
L. monocytogenes is commonly found in food production and can survive for extended periods in both the food products being produced and on surfaces in the production environment. The bacterium thrives particularly well at refrigeration or freezing temperatures and can form biofilms
Disease in humans
Foodborne listeriosis is a relatively rare but severe disease with a high mortality rate (20–30%) compared to other foodborne microbial pathogens, such as Salmonella.
The disease primarily affects certain segments of the population with increased susceptibility, such as individuals with weakened immune systems, pregnant women, and the elderly.
«Ready to eat»
Food is the primary route of transmission for listeriosis (WHO, 1988). RTE (Ready-to-eat) food is intended by the producer for direct consumption without the need for cooking or further processing. This includes salads, cooked or smoked meats, smoked fish, desserts, sandwiches, cheese, and other foods that have been prepared in advance to be served cold.
RTE can be defined as the most vulnerable products that support the growth of L. monocytogenes, have a long refrigerated shelf life, and are consumed without further processing (for example, there is no final heating step before consumption).
The number of L. monocytogenes can increase if the food and storage conditions support the growth of the microorganism.
This can lead to an apparent increase in contamination frequency if the product was originally contaminated at a level below the detection limit of the method used to enumerate L. monocytogenes
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