Prevalence and growth of Listeria monocytogenes in naturally contaminated cold-smoked salmon.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate Listeria monocytogenes contamination and behaviour in naturally contaminated French cold-smoked salmon (CSS).


RESULTS
Between 2001 and 2004, L. monocytogenes was detected in 104 of 1010 CSS packs, produced by nine French plants, with different prevalence (from 0% to 41%). The initial contamination, measured with a sensitive filtration method, was low (92% of contaminated products below 1 CFU g(-1)) and growth was limited.


CONCLUSIONS
Growth was consistent with results of a predictive model including microbial competition.


CONCLUSIONS
To be included in a quantitative risk assessment.
Beaufort
A
A
French Food Safety Agency (Afssa), LERQAP, Maisons-Alfort cedex, France. a.beaufort@afssa.fr
Rudelle
S
S
Gnanou-Besse
N
N
Toquin
M T
MT
Kerouanton
A
A
Bergis
H
H
Salvat
G
G
Cornu
M
M
D000818:Animals; D003080:Cold Temperature; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D005516:Food Microbiology; D018857:Food Packaging; D005519:Food Preservation; D008089:Listeria monocytogenes / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012474:Salmon / Q000382:microbiology*