fbtechreview.comSEPTEMBER 20248in myviewListeria monocytogenes (LM) continues to affect the food industry, in particular the meat and poultry industry. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 1600 people in this country get listeriosis each year, and approximately 260 die, impacting the most vulnerable portion of our population, including pregnant women, children, the elderly, and those with compromised immune systems. Food manufacturers are responsible for the development and execution of robust listeria controls, yet foodborne illness outbreaks and recalls due to LM continue to make headlines and erode consumer confidence in the safety of the products made. Fortunately, strides have been made in detection, control, and general understanding of how to manage and mitigate it within the food manufacturing environment.In order to control and mitigate the risk LM presents, a deep understanding of the pathogen you are dealing with is needed. To mitigate LM, you need to understand how it behaves and reacts in a food manufacturing environment. It is ubiquitous, it thrives in cool, damp environments, survives freezing and drying, is salt tolerant, attaches to various surfaces to form difficult-to-remove biofilms, can establish niche or harborage sites, and is extremely versatile in LISTERIA CONTROL IN A READY TO EAT (RTE) ENVIRONMENTSBy Michelle Brydalski, Vice President, Food Safety, Quality Assurance, Charcuterie ArtisansMichelle Brydalski
< Page 7 | Page 9 >