Listeria – improved enumeration method developed by CFA

A paper has recently been published in the peer-reviewed journal Food Control by Dr Nicola Wilson, Karin Goodburn and Dr Ken Johnston describing a method of membrane filtration to enumerate low levels of Listeria spp including Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) on salad leaf.

The paper is described in the abstract and is an enhancement of the legally recognised reference method (BS EN ISO 11290-2:2017), which is insufficiently sensitive to enumerate the low numbers of Lm in most commercially prepared leaf salads. more sensitive method is required to evaluate the impact of process changes and the effect of Listeria control mechanisms in chilled foods including salad leaf.

Results obtained by the new technique are reported showing enumeration of 5 CFU/g added Lm.

The full paper please can be found here.

April 2024