Listeria monocytogenes is back in the news with US and Canadian recalls from River Ranch, Salinas, CA. The recalls affect various salad products, which may be contaminated with Listeria. While Listeriosis is not a death sentence to healthy adults, it can be a killer of elderly people, pregnant women and newborns with weakened immune systems.
Interventions with anti-Listeria phages can be used to address post-lethality contaminations of Listeria monocytogenes underalternative-2 or alternative-1 anti-Listeria protocols defined by USDA/FSIS, according to Mark Offerhaus, Micreos CEO. A rapid 1-3 log reduction of Listeria can be achieved on food and contact surfaces. “Though this should be seen as an integral part of proper hygiene, rather than a replacement of control systems, it enables food processors to take safety to a different level,” says Offerhaus. Micreos is a Dutch supplier of phage products.