Listeria monocytogenes, which causes listeriosis, is one of the most concerning foodborne bacterial pathogens in humans. Although it can be found everywhere in the environment, most cases of listeriosis are caused by the consumption of contaminated ready-to-eat foods. Contamination of the final product usually occurs as a result of cross-contamination from the food processing environment.

It is well known that L. monocytogenes can colonize and form a biofilm on equipment, floors, and drains in food processing facilities over long periods—especially in cracks, uneven surfaces, or other hard-to-reach areas—and thereby cause repeated contamination of raw materials and products.

Effective control of L.monocytogenes requires a sampling plan that includes sampling of raw materials and surfaces to identify contaminated areas and implement targeted corrective actions. To succeed in detecting… L.monocytogenes it is required that the methods used for both sampling and analysis are capable of detecting and identifying the bacteria, even at low levels. No analytical method—no matter how sensitive—can detect L.monocytogenes if the sampling has failed to detect the bacteria.

An analysis report only provides the result for the analyzed sample. When a laboratory analyzes an environmental sample, the report reflects the sample as it was received at the laboratory. The laboratory does not take responsibility for any uncertainty or impact from the sampling or handling until the sample was received, nor for whether the result is representative beyond the analyzed sample. In contrast, a sampling report is a declaration that the sampling was conducted according to the plan and in compliance with relevant sampling requirements. It also ensures that uncertainties in sampling and handling of samples are controlled up until the analysis begins. A sampling report may also include the results from the subsequent analysis. Therefore, a combined sampling and analysis report ensures the integrity of the sampling process from planning to final result.

Example of a sampling report ()

The sampling report is only valid in its entirety and must reflect all aspects of the sampling plan. A report cannot be altered without the sampling company's approval, and the requirements for revising the report are very strict.

Accredited sampling, therefore, provides increased security for the representativeness and integrity of the samples and documents that the sampling was conducted according to plan, with consideration given to all relevant requirements that reduce uncertainty throughout the entire chain from sampling to final analysis. Independent and accredited sampling is thus the best possible documentation for compliance with food hygiene and food safety requirements.