title: Microbiological Challenge Testing forListeria Monocytogenesin Ready-to-Eat Food: A Practical Approach.
abstract: Food business operators (FBOs) are the primary responsible for the safety of food they place on the market. The definition and validation of the product's shelf-life is an essential part for ensuring microbiological safety of food and health of consumers. In the frame of the Regulation (EC) No 2073/2005 on microbiological criteria for foodstuffs, FBOs shall conduct shelf-life studies in order to assure that their food does not exceed the food safety criteria throughout the defined shelf-life. In particular this is required for ready-to-eat (RTE) food that supports the growth ofListeria monocytogenes. Among other studies, FBOs can rely on the conclusion drawn by microbiological challenge tests. A microbiological challenge test consists in the artificial contamination of a food with a pathogen microorganism and aims at simulating its behaviour during processing and distribution under the foreseen storage and handling conditions. A number of documents published by international health authorities and research institutions describes how to conduct challenge studies. The authors reviewed the existing literature and described the methodology for implementing such laboratory studies. All the main aspects for the conduction ofL. monocytogenesmicrobiological challenge tests were considered, from the selection of the strains, preparation and choice of the inoculum level and method of contamination, to the experimental design and data interpretation. The objective of the present document is to provide an exhaustive and practical guideline for laboratories that want to implementL. monocytogeneschallenge testing on RTE food.
authors: Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Sassari , Italy.
authors: Carlo
authors: C
authors: Spanu
authors: Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Sassari , Italy.
authors: Christian
authors: C
authors: Scarano
authors: Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Sassari , Italy.
authors: Michela
authors: M
authors: Ibba
authors: Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Sassari , Italy.
authors: Carlo
authors: C
authors: Pala
authors: Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Sassari , Italy.
authors: Vincenzo
authors: V
authors: Spanu
authors: Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Sassari , Italy.
authors: Enrico Pietro Luigi
authors: EP
authors: De Santis
keywords: Challenge test; Listeria monocytogenes; Ready-to-eat