Articles Tagged with ''listeria''

The agency has published a summary of foodborne illness outbreak investigations involving USDA-regulated products in Fiscal Year (FY) 2025, alongside an after-action review of a fatal listeriosis outbreak linked to Yu Shang-brand ready-to-eat (RTE) meats that was solved in 2024.

Ready-to-eat (RTE) pâté en croute contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes and produced by Drôme Ardèche Tradition has sickened 12 people across France, resulting in two deaths. All patients were hospitalized.

In processing operations for dairy and low-moisture foods, specialized sanitation and environmental monitoring programs are paramount to securing food safety and hygienic operation of facilities. 

Despite having Listeria-positive samples that matched the outbreak strain via whole genome sequencing (WGS), which prompted an FDA Import Alert and a company recall for the suspected vehicle of illness, FDA did not disclose the specific product or any of the firms implicated.

The researchers conducted environmental sampling throughout a controlled environment agriculture (CEA) operation and tested swabs for L. monocytogenes. Boot covers proved to be a useful tool for evaluating the effectiveness of cleaning and sanitation.  

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.