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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Wyndmoor, Pennsylvania » Eastern Regional Research Center » Microbial and Chemical Food Safety » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #300001
Title: Listeria monocytogenes in ready-to-eat foods and intervention strategies

Author
item Yoo, Byong
item Hwang, Cheng An

Submitted to: Book Chapter
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/12/2013
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Listeria monocytogenes is a foodborne pathogen capable of causing listeriosis, a severe illness that has a high fatality rate. It has been a significant food safety concern for decades due to its ubiquitous presence in the environment, ability to grow at refrigeration temperature, and resistance to general cleaning and sanitizing procedures by forming biofilms. Food products that have been linked to the outbreaks of listeriosis include meat, poultry, seafood, dairy products, vegetables, and fruits. Since they are normally consumed without prior cooking, ready-to-eat (RTE) foods, such as frankfurters, deli meats, salads, and smoked seafood, pose a higher risk of causing listeriosis than other types of food products. This chapter will review the food safety aspect of L. monocytogenes in RTE foods including its prevalence, causes of contamination, food safety regulations, and current and developing intervention technologies to control L. monocytogenes in RTE foods.