The research from Oregon State University also found that queso cotija supports L. monocytogenes survival but not growth, and that organic acid surface treatments could inhibit L. monocytogenes growth on queso fresco.
This episode of Food Safety Five discusses updated USDA-FSIS guidance on Listeria testing in RTE facilities, the latest on the Boar’s Head facility behind the fatal outbreak of 2024, and a real-world Listeria “Seek and Destroy” success story.
Affected products were sold under various brand names at numerous retailers. The products shared a single supplier of contaminated pasta, Nate’s Fine Foods Inc.
A recent study examined the efficacy of three commonly used sanitizers—chlorine, QACs, and UV-C light—against Listeria monocytogenes biofilms on stainless steel, PET, and silicone rubber surfaces, including organic matter, representing produce packing environments.
The ready-to-use EZ-Check Listeria spp. Kit and EZ-Check Listeria monocytogenes Kit support Listeria detection in food product and environmental samples.
Boar’s Head has reopened its Jarratt, Virginia production facility, which was closed after being implicated in a fatal listeriosis outbreak in 2024. The company says the plant, which had exhibited serious food safety and hygiene violations, has undergone renovations and enhancements.
Dr. Alejandro Castillo is looking closely at Listeria contamination in the Mexican–U.S. avocado supply chain. Dr. Matt Taylor is working to help meat and poultry producers validate the microbial safety of their products and ensure regulatory compliance.
New research has demonstrated that certain plant-based compounds (i.e., curcumin, berberine, quercetin, and capsaicin) can enhance the antimicrobial effect of blue light treatment against Listeria monocytogenes on food and disrupt its biofilm-forming abilities.
Nofima recently reported on a successful “Seek and Destroy” process carried out by a smoked salmon producer implicated in a listeriosis outbreak, which demonstrated the importance of hygienic design and WGS, and the limitations of standard cleaning and sampling.
USDA-FSIS has reissued its guidance on testing for Listeria species other than Listeria monocytogenes in ready-to-eat (RTE) food production facilities to reflect expansions made to the agency’s testing method and enforcement actions.
