Microbiological challenge testing for Listeria monocytogenes in ready-to-eat food: a practical approach
Food business operators (FBOs) are the primary responsible for the safety of food they place on the market. The definition and validation of the product’s shelf-life is an essential part for ensuring microbiological safety of food and health of consumers. In the frame of the Regulation (EC) No 2073/...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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PAGEPress Publications
2014-12-01
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| Series: | Italian Journal of Food Safety |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.pagepressjournals.org/index.php/ijfs/article/view/4518 |
| _version_ | 1818324407185047552 |
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| author | Carlo Spanu Christian Scarano Michela Ibba Carlo Pala Vincenzo Spanu Enrico Pietro Luigi De Santis |
| author_facet | Carlo Spanu Christian Scarano Michela Ibba Carlo Pala Vincenzo Spanu Enrico Pietro Luigi De Santis |
| author_sort | Carlo Spanu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Food business operators (FBOs) are the primary responsible for the safety of food they place on the market. The definition and validation of the product’s shelf-life is an essential part for ensuring microbiological safety of food and health of consumers. In the frame of the Regulation (EC) No 2073/2005 on microbiological criteria for foodstuffs, FBOs shall conduct shelf-life studies in order to assure that their food does not exceed the food safety criteria throughout the defined shelf-life. In particular this is required for ready-to-eat (RTE) food that supports the growth of <em>Listeria monocytogenes</em>. Among other studies, FBOs can rely on the conclusion drawn by microbiological challenge tests. A microbiological challenge test consists in the artificial contamination of a food with a pathogen microorganism and aims at simulating its behaviour during processing and distribution under the foreseen storage and handling conditions. A number of documents published by international health authorities and research institutions describes how to conduct challenge studies. The authors reviewed the existing literature and described the methodology for implementing such laboratory studies. All the main aspects for the conduction of <em>L. monocytogenes</em> microbiological challenge tests were considered, from the selection of the strains, preparation and choice of the inoculum level and method of contamination, to the experimental design and data interpretation. The objective of the present document is to provide an exhaustive and practical guideline for laboratories that want to implement <em>L. monocytogenes</em> challenge testing on RTE food. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-13T11:28:06Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-13f7d11fa7ac4fca96f6746373924e95 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2239-7132 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-13T11:28:06Z |
| publishDate | 2014-12-01 |
| publisher | PAGEPress Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Italian Journal of Food Safety |
| spelling | doaj.art-13f7d11fa7ac4fca96f6746373924e952022-12-21T23:48:06ZengPAGEPress PublicationsItalian Journal of Food Safety2239-71322014-12-013410.4081/ijfs.2014.45184007Microbiological challenge testing for Listeria monocytogenes in ready-to-eat food: a practical approachCarlo Spanu0Christian Scarano1Michela Ibba2Carlo Pala3Vincenzo Spanu4Enrico Pietro Luigi De Santis5Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di SassariDipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di SassariDipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di SassariDipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di SassariDipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di SassariDipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di SassariFood business operators (FBOs) are the primary responsible for the safety of food they place on the market. The definition and validation of the product’s shelf-life is an essential part for ensuring microbiological safety of food and health of consumers. In the frame of the Regulation (EC) No 2073/2005 on microbiological criteria for foodstuffs, FBOs shall conduct shelf-life studies in order to assure that their food does not exceed the food safety criteria throughout the defined shelf-life. In particular this is required for ready-to-eat (RTE) food that supports the growth of <em>Listeria monocytogenes</em>. Among other studies, FBOs can rely on the conclusion drawn by microbiological challenge tests. A microbiological challenge test consists in the artificial contamination of a food with a pathogen microorganism and aims at simulating its behaviour during processing and distribution under the foreseen storage and handling conditions. A number of documents published by international health authorities and research institutions describes how to conduct challenge studies. The authors reviewed the existing literature and described the methodology for implementing such laboratory studies. All the main aspects for the conduction of <em>L. monocytogenes</em> microbiological challenge tests were considered, from the selection of the strains, preparation and choice of the inoculum level and method of contamination, to the experimental design and data interpretation. The objective of the present document is to provide an exhaustive and practical guideline for laboratories that want to implement <em>L. monocytogenes</em> challenge testing on RTE food.http://www.pagepressjournals.org/index.php/ijfs/article/view/4518Listeria monocytogenes, Challenge test, Ready-to-eat |
| spellingShingle | Carlo Spanu Christian Scarano Michela Ibba Carlo Pala Vincenzo Spanu Enrico Pietro Luigi De Santis Microbiological challenge testing for Listeria monocytogenes in ready-to-eat food: a practical approach Italian Journal of Food Safety Listeria monocytogenes, Challenge test, Ready-to-eat |
| title | Microbiological challenge testing for Listeria monocytogenes in ready-to-eat food: a practical approach |
| title_full | Microbiological challenge testing for Listeria monocytogenes in ready-to-eat food: a practical approach |
| title_fullStr | Microbiological challenge testing for Listeria monocytogenes in ready-to-eat food: a practical approach |
| title_full_unstemmed | Microbiological challenge testing for Listeria monocytogenes in ready-to-eat food: a practical approach |
| title_short | Microbiological challenge testing for Listeria monocytogenes in ready-to-eat food: a practical approach |
| title_sort | microbiological challenge testing for listeria monocytogenes in ready to eat food a practical approach |
| topic | Listeria monocytogenes, Challenge test, Ready-to-eat |
| url | http://www.pagepressjournals.org/index.php/ijfs/article/view/4518 |
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