10.10.2019

Listeria and listeria infections from sausage products

Listeria can be found in food. Recently, findings have been increasing in many food groups.

In particular, raw foods such as raw milk (cheese) and other animal foods such as meat and meat products (e.g. sausage) or fish and fish products, but also vegetable foods (e.g. cut lettuce) and other ready to eat products are affected.

Listeria can also be found in the environment and in food processing companies. It is important to know that listeria are able to multiply even at very low temperatures.

Listeriosis is a food-borne infectious disease, severe symptoms occur in pregnant and immunocompromised persons. Among seven Listeria species, L. monocytogenes is by far the most important human pathogenic species. There are legal requirements for the regular testing of ready-to-eat foods for Listeria monocytogenes, but hygiene and step controls in the production environment also play a very important role in identifying sources of infection.

ifp offers the detection of listeria in food and in environmental samples (surfaces, water,...) routinely both culturally and by PCR. Results are already available after 48 hours. In addition, ifp and its inspection team are on hand to consult and support companies in the implementation of hygiene concepts.