Czech J. Food Sci., 2011, 29(4):441-447 | DOI: 10.17221/88/2010-CJFS

Airborne Listeria spp. in the red meat processing industry

Martin Dobeic1, Edvard Kenda1, Jasna Mičunovič2, Irena Zdovc2
1 Institute for Environmental and Animal Hygiene with Ethology and
2 Institute for Microbiology and Parasitology, Veterinary Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia

The aim of this study was to determine the potential presence of the airborne Listeria spp. and its correlation with the aerobic mesophilic bacteria and Listeria carcass contamination in three red meat slaughtering and three processing plants. Airborne L. seeligeri and L. innocua were determined using 8 (5.06%, n = 158) air samples taken on the locations characteristic for aerosol generating and in a chilly environment. The positive airborne samples of Listeria spp. were in an insignificant (P > 0.05) relation with the highest airborne bacteria counts. On the carcass, only 1 positive case (0.69%, n = 144) of L. innocua was determined, presumably owing to the low airborne Listeria counts and its unpredictable settling rates. In addition, insignificant (P > 0.05) influences of air moisture and airflow on the airborne Listeria were found. Nevertheles, the methods currently used to determine the airborne Listeria and its relationships to aerosol viable mesophilic bacteria and carcass contamination need to be reconsidered in future investigations.

Keywords: airborne Listeria spp.; aerobic mesophilic bacteria; carcass; slaughterhouse; meat processing plant

Published: August 31, 2011  Show citation

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Dobeic M, Kenda E, Mičunovič J, Zdovc I. Airborne Listeria spp. in the red meat processing industry. Czech J. Food Sci. 2011;29(4):441-447. doi: 10.17221/88/2010-CJFS.
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