Listeria monocytogenes: challenges of microbiological control of food in Brazil

Abstract

Listeria monocytogenes is a gram-positive bacterium that can survive in food production environments and food products. This microorganism is associated with listeriosis, a serious infection caused by the consumption of contaminated food. The aim of this study was to conduct an integrative literature review on the regulation of L. monocytogenes in food in Brazil, its occurrence and methodologies used for identification in studies published from 2001 to 2021, and the epidemiological surveillance of cases of infection. The current regulations for L. monocytogenes prohibit ready-to-eat foods of more than 10² per gram or milliliter. Officially, only two cases of outbreaks have been identified in the Epidemiological Surveillance of Foodborne Diseases system; however, the circulation of L. monocytogenes was observed in foods of different origins, with occurrence ranging from 3.1 to 48.7. The most commonly used identification method was ISO 11290. The isolation and identification methods for this pathogen are expensive and laborious, making it difficult to implement these methodologies in many laboratories. This scenario contributes to the underreporting of cases of listeriosis and therefore represents a risk for the population that is exposed to potentially contaminated food.

Keywords:
food safety; sanitary surveillance; foodborne diseases; laboratory methods