Postprocessing contamination in processing plants has historically been a significant source of Listeria monocytogenes in ready-to-eat delicatessen meats, and therefore a major cause of human listeriosis cases and outbreaks. Recent risk assessments suggest that a majority of human listeriosis cases linked to consumption of contaminated deli meats may be due to L. monocytogenes contamination that occurs at the retail level. To better understand the ecology and transmission of Listeria spp. in retail 
delicatessens, food and nonfood contact surfaces were tested for L. monocytogenes and other Listeria spp. in a longitudinal study conducted in 30 retail delis in three U.S. states. In phase I of the study, seven sponge samples were collected monthly for 3 months in 15 delis (5 delis per state) prior to start of daily operation; in phase II, 28 food contact and nonfood contact sites were sampled in each of 30 delis during daily operation for 6 months. Among the 314 samples collected during phase I, 6.8% were positive forL. monocytogenes. Among 4,503 samples collected during phase II, 9.5% were positive for L. monocytogenes; 9 of 30 delis showed low L. monocytogenes prevalence (<1%) for all surfaces. A total of 245 Listeria spp. isolates, including 184 Listeria innocua, 48 Listeria seeligeri, and 13 Listeria welshimeri were characterized. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) was used to characterize 446 L. monocytogenes isolates. PFGE showed that for 12 of 30 delis, one or more PFGE types were isolated on at least three separate occasions, providing evidence for persistence of a given L. monocytogenes subtype in the delis. For some delis, PFGE patterns for isolates from nonfood contact surfaces were distinct from patterns for occasional food contact surface isolates, suggesting limited cross-contamination between these sites in some delis. This study provides longitudinal data on L. monocytogenes contamination patterns in retail delis, which should facilitate further development of control strategies in retail delis.
Listeria monocytogenes and Listeria spp. contamination patterns in retail delicatessen establishments in three U.S. states
Simmons, Courtenay; Stasiewicz, Matthew J.; Wright, Emily; Warchocki, Steven; Roof, Sherry; Kause, Janell R.; Bauer, Nathan; Ibrahim, Salam; Wiedmann, Martin; Oliver, Haley F.
Journal of Food Protection®, Number 11, November 2014, pp. 1844-2003, pp. 1929-1939(11); DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4315/0362-028X.JFP-14-183
http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/iafp/jfp/2014/00000077/00000011/art00012
Listeria species have been isolated from diverse environments, often at considerable prevalence, and are known to persist in food processing facilities. The presence of Listeria spp. has been suggested to be a marker for Listeria monocytogenes contamination. Therefore, a study was conducted to (i) determine the prevalence and diversity ofListeria spp. in produce production and natural environments and (ii) identify geographical and/or meteorological factors that affect the isolation of Listeria spp. in these environments. These data were also used to evaluate Listeriaspp. as index organisms for L. monocytogenes in produce production environments. Environmental samples collected from produce production (n = 588) and natural (n = 734) environments in New York State were microbiologically analyzed to detect and isolate Listeria spp. The prevalence of Listeria spp. 
was approximately 33 and 34% for samples obtained from natural environments and produce production, respectively. Coisolation of L. monocytogenes and at least one other species of Listeria in a given sample was recorded for 3 and 9% of samples from natural environments and produce production, respectively. Soil moisture and proximity to water and pastures were highly associated with isolation of Listeria spp. in produce production environments, while elevation, study site, and proximity to pastures were highly associated with isolation of Listeria spp. in natural environments, as determined by randomForest models. These data show that Listeria spp. were prevalent in both agricultural and nonagricultural environments and that geographical and meteorological factors associated with isolation of Listeria spp. were considerably different between the two environments.
Geographical and meteorological factors associated with isolation of Listeria species in New York state produce production and natural environments.
Chapin, Travis K.; Nightingale, Kendra K.; Worobo, Randy W.; Wiedmann, Martin; Strawn, Andlaura K.
Journal of Food Protection®, Number 11, November 2014, pp. 1844-2003, pp. 1919-1928(10); DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4315/0362-028X.JFP-14-132
http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/iafp/jfp/2014/00000077/00000011/art00011