title: ListeriaSpp. andListeria MonocytogenesContamination in Ready-To-Eat Sandwiches Collected from Vending Machines.
abstract: Ready-to-eat (RTE) food is characterised by a long shelf-life at refrigerated temperature and can be consumed as such, without any treatment. The aim of the work was to evaluate the presence ofListeriaspp. andListeria monocytogenesin RTEs collected from refrigerated vending machines placed in hospital environment and accessible to the hospitalised patients. In 4 different sampling, 55 RTEs were collected from vending machines of six hospitals located in different areas of Sardinia region. All the samples were characterised by similar manufacturing process, such as the use of modified atmosphere packaging and belonged to 5 different producers.Listeriaspp. was not countable using the enumeration method in all of the analysed samples. Using the detection method,Listeriaspp. was recovered from 9 sandwich samples. Interestingly, 3 of these samples (5.5%) made by the manufacturer, were positive forL. monocytogenescontamination. The risk related to theL. monocytogenespresence in RTEs proportionally increases when food is introduced insusceptible environments, such as hospitals and consumed bysusceptible people. Although the RTEs analysed showed values that complied with the European microbiological criteria for foodstuffs, the availability of these products in asusceptibleenvironment should be carefully checked. Therefore, in order to limit the possible exposition toL. monocytogenes, more information on the risk related to RTE consumption should be provided to the hospitalised patients.
authors: Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari , Sassari, Italy.
authors: Francesca
authors: F
authors: Cossu
authors: Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari , Sassari, Italy.
authors: Carlo
authors: C
authors: Spanu
authors: Department of Biomedical Sciences, Hygiene and Preventive Medicine, University of Sassari , Sassari, Italy.
authors: Silvia
authors: S
authors: Deidda
authors: Department of Biomedical Sciences, Hygiene and Preventive Medicine, University of Sassari , Sassari, Italy.
authors: Erica
authors: E
authors: Mura
authors: Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari , Sassari, Italy.
authors: Daniele
authors: D
authors: Casti
authors: Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari , Sassari, Italy.
authors: Carlo
authors: C
authors: Pala
authors: Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari , Sassari, Italy.
authors: Sonia
authors: S
authors: Lamon
authors: Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari , Sassari, Italy.
authors: Vincenzo
authors: V
authors: Spanu
authors: Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari , Sassari, Italy.
authors: Michela
authors: M
authors: Ibba
authors: Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari , Sassari, Italy.
authors: Elena
authors: E
authors: Marrocu
authors: Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari , Sassari, Italy.
authors: Christian
authors: C
authors: Scarano
authors: Department of Biomedical Sciences, Hygiene and Preventive Medicine, University of Sassari , Sassari, Italy.
authors: Andrea
authors: A
authors: Piana
authors: Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari , Sassari, Italy.
authors: Enrico Pietro Luigi
authors: EP
authors: De Santis
keywords: Listeria monocytogenes; Ready-to-eat sandwiches; Vending machines