Biomaterial Database

Occurrence of Listeria species in ready to eat foods. 1995

I G Wilson

Northern Ireland Public Health Laboratory, Bacteriology Department, Belfast City Hospital, Northern Ireland.

Over 8000 ready to eat foods were examined for the presence of Listeria species. Overall, 5% of foods were found to contain these organisms. Higher occurrence was found in some foods such as chicken (11%) and fish (14%). Most of the Listeria species isolated were L. monocytogenes (49%) and L. innocua (36%) with lower numbers of other species. No seasonal pattern in the recovery of L. monocytogenes was found. Unsatisfactory or potentially hazardous levels of L. monocytogenes were found in 14 products (< 0.2%), mostly cooked meats. Undercooked chicken products appeared to present the greatest risk for the duration of this survey. The small number of samples which were potentially hazardous suggests that the risk to consumers is not high, and this is confirmed by the absence of clinical cases in the region during the period of study.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008087	Listeria	A genus of bacteria which may be found in the feces of animals and man, on vegetation, and in silage. Its species are parasitic on cold-blooded and warm-blooded animals, including man.
D008088	Listeriosis	Infections with bacteria of the genus LISTERIA.	Listeria Infections,Infections, Listeria,Infection, Listeria,Listeria Infection,Listerioses
D008089	Listeria monocytogenes	A species of gram-positive, rod-shaped bacteria widely distributed in nature. It has been isolated from sewage, soil, silage, and from feces of healthy animals and man. Infection with this bacterium leads to encephalitis, meningitis, endocarditis, and abortion.
D009660	Northern Ireland	The northern one-sixth of the island of Ireland - between the North Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea; northwest of France. The capital is Belfast.
D003296	Cooking	The art or practice of preparing food. It includes the preparation of special foods for diets in various diseases.	Cookery
D005502	Food	Substances taken in by the body to provide nourishment.	Foods
D005506	Food Contamination	The presence in food of harmful, unpalatable, or otherwise objectionable foreign substances, e.g. chemicals, microorganisms or diluents, before, during, or after processing or storage.	Food Adulteration,Adulteration, Food,Adulterations, Food,Contamination, Food,Contaminations, Food,Food Adulterations,Food Contaminations
D005511	Food Handling	Any aspect of the operations in the preparation, processing, transport, storage, packaging, wrapping, exposure for sale, service, or delivery of food.	Food Processing,Handling, Food,Processing, Food
D005516	Food Microbiology	The presence of bacteria, viruses, and fungi in food and food products. This term is not restricted to pathogenic organisms: the presence of various non-pathogenic bacteria and fungi in cheeses and wines, for example, is included in this concept.	Microbiology, Food
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man