Listeria monocytogenes in Brazilian foods: occurrence, risks to human health and their prevention

Naila Albertina Oliveira¹, Gabriela Marques Bittencourt², Giovana Verginia Barancelli², Eliana Setsuko Kamimura¹, Sarah Hwa In Lee¹, Carlos Augusto Fernandes Oliveira^1*

¹Department of Food Engineering, School of Animal Science and Food Engineering, University of São Paulo, Pirassununga, Brazil

²Department of Agroindustry, Food and Nutrition, College of Agriculture “Luiz de Queiroz”, University of São Paulo, Piracicaba, Brazil

Corresponding Author Email: carlosaf@usp.br

Listeria monocytogenes is a foodborne pathogen which occurs mainly in ready-to-eat food products, especially in artisanal products manufactured from raw milk such as some types of cheese, meat products and leafy vegetables. L. monocytogenes requires special attention in the food industry because of its ability to survive under adverse conditions and form biofilms on different surfaces in food processing environments. The potential for product contamination by L. monocytogenes strains in the industrial environment emphasizes the importance of preventive measures in the food industry. This review presents an overview on the main characteristics, pathogenicity and occurrence data of L. monocytogenes in Brazilian foods. The main prevention measures to avoid contamination by L. monocytogenes in foods are also highlighted, especially the adoption of quality assurance programs by the food industry.

Food; L. Monocytogenes; Listeriosis; Occurrence; Prevention

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