An overview of Listeria monocytogenes contamination in ready to eat meat, dairy and fishery foods

Listeria monocytogenes is a relevant foodborne pathogen in public health, responsible for outbreaks of listeriosis often associated to the consumption of ready to eat meat, dairy and fishery products. Listeriosis is a serious disease that can lead to death and mainly affect children, the elderly and immunocompromised individuals. In pregnant women causes abortion or neonatal listeriosis. In Brazil, ready to eat food are appreciated and increasingly consumed by the population. Furthermore, products such as sausages, bologna, hams and cheeses have characteristics such as pH, Aw and sodium chloride content that favor the development of L. monocytogenes during their shelf life. The purpose of this paper was to present an overview of L. monocytogenes contamination in different meat, dairy and fishery products that are ready for consumption and thereby support the adoption of strategies to mitigate this risk, contributing to achieve the appropriate level protection for the consumers and thus strengthen Brazil's food safety system.