Controlling Listeria through Manufacturer Intervention

The plate format created less biohazardous waste and required less incubator space, making it an ideal test format for effective environmental monitoring for Listeria. Reducing the presence of Listeria, particularly persistent strains that have established residence in processing plants, will lead to improvements in product quality, regulatory compliance, and ultimately, further achievements in improved food safety and public health.

References:

• CDC 2005. “Preliminary FoodNet Data on the Incidence of Infection with Pathogens Transmitted Commonly Through Food-10 Sites.” United States, 2004. MMWR 54 (14): 352-356.
• Donnelly, C. W. 2002. “Detection and isolation of Listeria monocytogenes from food samples: implications of sublethal injury.” JAOAC Int. 85:495-500.
• Groves, E. and C.W. Donnelly. 2005. “Comparison of 3M Petrifilm Environmental Listeria Plate vs. Standard Methods in detecting Listeria from Environmental Surfaces.” IAFP Annual Meeting, Abstract
• HHS/USDA. 2003. “Quantitative assessment of the relative risk to public health from food borne Listeria monocytogenes among selected categories of ready-to-eat foods.” http://www.foodsafety.gov/~dms/lmr2-toc.html.
• Hitchins, A.D. 2003. “Detection and Enumeration of Listeria monocytogenes in Foods.” Chapter 10. Revised 2003. FDA Bacteriological Analytical Manual (BAM).
• ICMSF (International Commission on Microbiological Specifications for Foods). 2002. Microorganisms in Foods 7. “Microbiological testing in food safety management.” New York, NY:Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers.
• Inside Microbiology 2003: “Getting a handle on Listeria.” Food Safety Magazine. http://www.foodsafetymagazine.com/issues/0212/colmicro0212.htm.
• Mead, P.S., L. Slutsker, V. Dietz, et al. 1999. “Food-related illness and death in the United States.” Emerg Infect Dis. 5:607-625.
• NF EN ISO 11290-1. 1996. “Horizontal method for detection and enumeration of
• Listeria monocytogenes.” Part 1: Detection method.
• NF EN ISO 11290-2. 1998. “Horizontal method for detection and enumeration of Listeria monocytogenes.” Part 2: enumeration method.
• Olsen, S.J. et al. 2005. “Multistate outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes infection linked to delicatessen turkey meat” Clin. Infect. Dis. 40:962-967.
• Pritchard, T. J. and C.W. Donnelly. 1999. “Combined secondary enrichment of primary enrichment broths increases Listeria detection.” J. Food Prot. 62:532-535.
• Silk, T/M., T.M.T. Roth and C.W. Donnelly. 2002. “Comparison of growth kinetics for healthy and heat-injured Listeria monocytogenes in eight enrichment broths.” J Food Protect. 65:1333-1337.
• Tompkin, R.B. 2002. “Control of Listeria monocytogenes in the Food Processing Environment.” J. Food Protect. 65:709-725.
• Tompkin, R.B., V.N.Scott, D.T. Bernard, W.H. Sveum and K.S. Gombas. 1999. “Guidelines to prevent post-processing contamination from Listeria monocytogenes.” Food Protection Trends. 19:551-562.
• USDA/FSIS, 2005. “Isolation and identification of Listeria monocytogenes from red meat, poultry, egg and environmental samples” (revision 4), chapter 8. In USDA/FSIS Microbiology Laboratory Guidebook (MLG), 3rd ed. Food Safety and Inspection Service, Washington, D.C.

Catherine W. Donnelly, Ph.D., is Professor of Nutrition and Food Science at the University of Vermont (UVM). Reach her at [email protected].