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Listeria in Food: Prevalence and Control
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Listeria in Food: Prevalence and Control

A special issue of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158). This special issue belongs to the section "Food Quality and Safety".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 May 2021) | Viewed by 27435

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Fernando Pérez-Rodriguez

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Food Science and Technology, International Campus of Excellence in the AgriFood Sector (CeiA3), University of Cordoba, C-1, 14014 Córdoba, Spain
Interests: food microbiology and safety; predictive microbiology; food biopreservation; molecular microbiology; high-throughput sequencing technologies; microbial risk assessment of foods
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Araceli Bolívar

E-Mail Website
Co-Guest Editor
Department of Food Science and Technology, International Campus of Excellence in the AgriFood Sector (CeiA3), University of Cordoba, C-1, 14014 Córdoba, Spain
Interests: food microbiology and safety; predictive microbiology; food biopreservation; molecular microbiology; high-throughput sequencing technologies; microbial risk assessment of foods

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Listeria monocytogenes is a psychrotrophic and ubiquitous microorganism able to contaminate and grow in a variety of food commodities, producing the foodborne disease, so-called Listeriosis. The capacity to grow at refrigeration temperatures makes the pathogen a primary concern in the cold food chain of Ready-to-Eat (RTE) products. The application of suitable control measures along the food chain to reduce pathogen levels and prevent product recontamination are key to reduce the pathogen incidence. According to European data, Listeriosis cases have increased over the last years, most impacting vulnerable populations such as people over 75 and pregnant women. Aging population is an emerging challenge for health public systems of modern societies and can also be a relevant driver in Listeriosis. Furthermore, current food policies concerning Listeriosis does not appear to be sufficiently effective in reducing the Listeriosis incidence. For instance, the latest European Union One Health 2018 Zoonoses Report showed an increase in 2018 for the number of confirmed Listeriosis, though official samples rarely exceeded the EU food safety limit for ready-to-eat food (100 cfu/g).  Therefore, despite the efforts made by governments and industry over the last decades, there is still room for improvement in controlling risk by Listeriosis. The development of new and robust risk management strategies should be underpinned by gaining a deep understanding of  the contamination routes and dynamics of L. monocytogenes, its pathogenicity mechanism in conjunction with the host susceptibility as well as evaluating the impact of the interventions and food regulations by suitable predictive tools.

Prof. Dr. Fernando Pérez-Rodriguez
Dr. Araceli Bolívar
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Foods is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Listeriosis Risk
  • Dose-Response Models
  • Hazard Characterization
  • Understanding Listeria Monocytogenes Dynamics
  • Predictive Microbiology
  • Listeria Monocytogenes Distribution in Foods
  • Risk Assessment
  • Cross Contamination
  • contamination Routes of Listeria Monocytogenes
  • Product Shelf-Life
  • Food Control
  • Risk Management Strategies
  • Food Hygiene Practices.

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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Editorial

Jump to: Research

2 pages, 191 KiB  
Editorial
Listeria in Food: Prevalence and Control
by Araceli Bolívar and Fernando Pérez-Rodríguez
Foods 2023, 12(7), 1378; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12071378 - 24 Mar 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2155
Abstract
Listeria monocytogenes is a foodborne pathogen characterized by its psychrotrophic and ubiquitous nature as well as its ability to survive and proliferate in a wide range of harsh environments and foods [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Listeria in Food: Prevalence and Control)

Research

Jump to: Editorial

12 pages, 1621 KiB  
Article
Modeling the Growth of Six Listeria monocytogenes Strains in Smoked Salmon Pâté
by Araceli Bolívar, Chajira Garrote Achou, Fatih Tarlak, María Jesús Cantalejo, Jean Carlos Correia Peres Costa and Fernando Pérez-Rodríguez
Foods 2023, 12(6), 1123; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12061123 - 7 Mar 2023
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2770
Abstract
In this study, the growth of six L. monocytogenes strains isolated from different fish products was quantified and modeled in smoked salmon pâté at a temperature ranging from 2 to 20 °C. The experimental data obtained for each strain was fitted to the [...] Read more.
In this study, the growth of six L. monocytogenes strains isolated from different fish products was quantified and modeled in smoked salmon pâté at a temperature ranging from 2 to 20 °C. The experimental data obtained for each strain was fitted to the primary growth model of Baranyi and Roberts to estimate the following kinetic parameters: lag phase (λ), maximum specific growth rate (μmax), and maximum cell density (Nmax). Then, the effect of storage temperature on the obtained μmax values was modeled by the Ratkowsky secondary model. In general, the six L. monocytogenes strains showed rapid growth in salmon pâté at all storage temperatures, with a relatively short lag phase λ, even at 2 °C. The growth behavior among the tested strains was similar at the same storage temperature, although significant differences were found for the parameters λ and μmax. Besides, the growth variations among the strains did not follow a regular pattern. The estimated secondary model parameter Tmin ranged from −4.25 to −3.19 °C. This study provides accurate predictive models for the growth of L. monocytogenes in fish pâtés that can be used in shelf life and microbial risk assessment studies. In addition, the models generated in this work can be implemented in predictive modeling tools and repositories that can be reliably and easily used by the fish industry and end-users to establish measures aimed at controlling the growth of L. monocytogenes in fish-based pâtés. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Listeria in Food: Prevalence and Control)
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6 pages, 238 KiB  
Communication
Influence of Food Matrices and the Population of Interfering Microorganisms on the Determination of Listeria monocytogenes by Conventional Methods and VIDAS
by Maribel Estévez, Fernando García-Viejo, Mª Carmen López-Mendoza, Rafael Jordano and Luis M. Medina
Foods 2021, 10(12), 3021; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods10123021 - 6 Dec 2021
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2580
Abstract
In this study, the possible influence of the food matrix and the interfering population of microorganisms on the detection and count of Listeria monocytogenes in three common foods of the Spanish diet (Spanish omelette, fresh cheese and vegetable salad) was determined. Four groups [...] Read more.
In this study, the possible influence of the food matrix and the interfering population of microorganisms on the detection and count of Listeria monocytogenes in three common foods of the Spanish diet (Spanish omelette, fresh cheese and vegetable salad) was determined. Four groups were assayed: one control, two groups with interfering microorganisms (Salmonella Enteritidis, Staphylococcus aureus and Proteus mirabilis) with different levels of L. monocytogenes and a final group only contaminated with L. monocytogenes. The samples were analyzed with the normalized method (UNE-EN ISO 11290:2018) and with an alternative technique (VIDAS). The results show that the presence of interfering microorganisms did not seem to interfere with the determination of L. monocytogenes. Furthermore, the type of food did not seem to influence the determination of L. monocytogenes, but the culture media used showed differences. In fact, regardless of the type of food, the ALOA medium showed higher sensitivity than the other media, with higher recovery in 100% of samples (only for the Spanish omelette in Group B was the result the same as that for PALCAM, −8.11 log cfu/g). The results obtained using the VIDAS were not influenced by any of the factors or conditions used and show 100% efficiency. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Listeria in Food: Prevalence and Control)
17 pages, 1289 KiB  
Article
Modelling the Effect of Salt Concentration on the Fate of Listeria monocytogenes Isolated from Costa Rican Fresh Cheeses
by Guiomar D. Posada-Izquierdo, Beatriz Mazón-Villegas, Mauricio Redondo-Solano, Alejandra Huete-Soto, Diana Víquez-Barrantes, Antonio Valero, Paula Fallas-Jiménez and Rosa María García-Gimeno
Foods 2021, 10(8), 1722; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods10081722 - 26 Jul 2021
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3481
Abstract
“Turrialba cheese” is a Costa Rican fresh cheese highly appreciated due to its sensory characteristics and artisanal production. As a ready-to-eat dairy product, its formulation could support Listeria monocytogenes growth. L. monocytogenes was isolated from 14.06% of the samples and the pathogen was [...] Read more.
“Turrialba cheese” is a Costa Rican fresh cheese highly appreciated due to its sensory characteristics and artisanal production. As a ready-to-eat dairy product, its formulation could support Listeria monocytogenes growth. L. monocytogenes was isolated from 14.06% of the samples and the pathogen was able to grow under all tested conditions. Due to the increasing demand for low-salt products, the objective of this study was to determine the effect of salt concentration on the growth of pathogen isolates obtained from local cheese. Products from retail outlets in Costa Rica were analyzed for L. monocytogenes. These isolates were used to determine growth at 4 °C for different salt concentration (0.5–5.2%). Kinetic curves were built and primary and secondary models developed. Finally, a validation study was performed using literature data. The R2 and Standard Error of fit of primary models were ranked from 0.964–0.993, and 0.197–0.443, respectively. An inverse relationship was observed between growth rate and salt concentration. A secondary model was obtained, with R2 = 0.962. The model was validated, and all values were Bf > 1, thus providing fail-safe estimations. These data were added to the free and easy-to-use predictive microbiology software “microHibro” which is used by food producers and regulators to assist in decision-making. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Listeria in Food: Prevalence and Control)
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13 pages, 1224 KiB  
Article
Effect of Gaseous Ozone on Listeria monocytogenes Planktonic Cells and Biofilm: An In Vitro Study
by Felice Panebianco, Selene Rubiola, Francesco Chiesa, Tiziana Civera and Pierluigi Aldo Di Ciccio
Foods 2021, 10(7), 1484; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods10071484 - 26 Jun 2021
Cited by 30 | Viewed by 3230
Abstract
Among food-borne pathogens, Listeria monocytogenes continues to pose concerns to food business operators due to its capacity to form biofilm in processing environments. Ozone may be an eco-friendly technology to control microbial contaminations, but data concerning its effect on Listeria monocytogenes biofilm are [...] Read more.
Among food-borne pathogens, Listeria monocytogenes continues to pose concerns to food business operators due to its capacity to form biofilm in processing environments. Ozone may be an eco-friendly technology to control microbial contaminations, but data concerning its effect on Listeria monocytogenes biofilm are still limited. In this study, the effect of gaseous ozone at 50 ppm on planktonic cells and biofilm of reference and food-related Listeria monocytogenes strains was evaluated. Ozone caused a reduction in microbial loads of 3.7 ± 0.4 and 3.9 ± 0.4 Log10 CFU/mL after 10 and 30 min, respectively. A complete inactivation of planktonic cells after 6 h of treatment was observed. Biofilm inhibition and eradication treatments (50 ppm, 6 h) resulted in a significant decrease of the biofilm biomass for 59% of the strains tested, whilst a slight dampening of live cell loads in the biofilm state was observed. In conclusion, gaseous ozone is not sufficient to completely counteract Listeria monocytogenes biofilm, but it may be useful as an additional tool to contrast Listeria monocytogenes free-living cells and to improve the existing sanitization procedures in food processing environments. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Listeria in Food: Prevalence and Control)
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13 pages, 3839 KiB  
Article
Prevalence, Antibiogram and Genetic Characterization of Listeria monocytogenes from Food Products in Egypt
by Eman E. Abdeen, Walid S. Mousa, Ola. H. Harb, Gehad A. Fath-Elbab, Mohammed Nooruzzaman, Ahmed Gaber, Walaa F. Alsanie and Ahmed Abdeen
Foods 2021, 10(6), 1381; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods10061381 - 15 Jun 2021
Cited by 28 | Viewed by 8048
Abstract
World Health Organization classified Listeria monocytogenes as a major notable foodborne pathogen associated with high mortality and hospitalization. The study reports the prevalence, antibiogram, virulence determination and genetic characterization of L. monocytogenes from different food products. A total of 250 food samples, fifty [...] Read more.
World Health Organization classified Listeria monocytogenes as a major notable foodborne pathogen associated with high mortality and hospitalization. The study reports the prevalence, antibiogram, virulence determination and genetic characterization of L. monocytogenes from different food products. A total of 250 food samples, fifty samples each from raw milk, ice cream, minced meat, fish fillet and sausage were collected from the Menoufiya governorate in Egypt. L. monocytogenes was detected in 17 (6.8%) of the tested food samples including minced meat (14%), fish fillet (8%), sausage (6%) and raw milk (6%). The antimicrobial susceptibility assay of 17 L. monocytogenes isolates against seventeen antibiotics belonging to eight antibiotics classes revealed a high susceptibility to norfloxacin (82.3%), amoxicillin-clavulanic acid (76.4%), cefotaxime (70.5%), erythromycin (64.6%), amoxicillin (64.6%), gentamicin (58.7%) and vancomycin (58.7%). While, high resistance was observed against oxytetracycline (76.4%), trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (76.4%), chloramphenicol (70.5%), doxycycline (64.6%), levofloxacin (41.2%) and azithromycin (41.2%). Of note, all L. monocytogenes isolates were multidrug-resistant. The multiplex PCR successfully amplified L. monocytogenes in all tested isolates. Screening of the five virulence-related genes revealed the hlyA and iap as the most prevalent genes followed by actA gene, however, the inlA and prfA genes were not detected in any of the studied isolates. The partial 16S rRNA gene sequencing of three L. monocytogenes isolates showed a high nucleotide similarity (99.1–99.8%) between the study isolates and various global clones, and phylogenetic analysis clustered these L. monocytogenes strains with other Listeria species including L. welshimeri, L. seeligeri and L. innocua. This study demonstrates the impact of L. monocytogenes as a major contaminant of various food products and suggests more attention to the awareness and hygienic measures in the food industry. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Listeria in Food: Prevalence and Control)
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18 pages, 1813 KiB  
Article
Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus Impedes Growth of Listeria spp. in Cottage Cheese through Manganese Limitation
by Lieke A. van Gijtenbeek, Quinn Singer, Louise E. Steffensen, Shannon Neuens, Helle S. Guldager, Susanne Bidstrup, Tina Høgholm, Mikkel G. Madsen, Kathleen Glass and Solvej Siedler
Foods 2021, 10(6), 1353; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods10061353 - 11 Jun 2021
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3580
Abstract
Acidification and nutrient depletion by dairy starter cultures is often sufficient to prevent outgrowth of pathogens during post-processing of cultured dairy products. In the case of cottage cheese, however, the addition of cream dressing to the curd and subsequent cooling procedures can create [...] Read more.
Acidification and nutrient depletion by dairy starter cultures is often sufficient to prevent outgrowth of pathogens during post-processing of cultured dairy products. In the case of cottage cheese, however, the addition of cream dressing to the curd and subsequent cooling procedures can create environments that may be hospitable for the growth of Listeria monocytogenes. We report on a non-bacterio-cinogenic Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus strain that severely limits the growth potential of L. monocytogenes in creamed cottage cheese. The main mechanism underlying Listeria spp. inhibition was found to be caused by depletion of manganese (Mn), thus through competitive exclusion of a trace element essential for the growth of many microorganisms. Growth of Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactococcus lactis that constitute the starter culture, on the other hand, were not influenced by reduced Mn levels. Addition of L. rhamnosus with Mn-based bioprotective properties during cottage cheese production therefore offers a solution to inhibit undesired bacteria in a bacteriocin-independent fashion. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Listeria in Food: Prevalence and Control)
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