In an effort to align EU rules with Codex Alimentariusstandards, the European Commission (EC) has proposed amendments to its regulations for Listeria monocytogenesin ready-to-eat (RTE) foods. If adopted, the new regulations would go into effect after January 1, 2026. The draft act is open for public comment until May 8, 2024.
The draft regulations would amend Regulation (EC) No. 2073/2005, which sets forth the criteria for certain microbial contaminants in food and implements hygiene requirements for food producers. In light of the fact that that the number of human listeriosis cases in the EU rose by 15.9 percent from 2021 to 2022, and because 2022 saw one of the highest fatality rates associated with foodborne listeriosis, EU regulators determined it necessary to update the food safety criteria for L. monocytogenes to protect public health.