SOUTH AFRICA – A study conducted in South Africa and recently published in the journal Microbiology Spectrum has concluded that Listeria innocua strains are developing resistance to temperature, pH, dehydration, and other stresses.
Listeria monocytogenes is extensively monitored in the food processing business since it can be fatal to people.
The infection not only has the potential to make people very ill, but it is also now known to be building resistance to many food safety measures globally.
The study used whole-genome sequencing to provide insights into two species of presumed nonpathogenic Listeria—L. innocua and L. welshimeri.
Some of the L. innocua and L. welshimeri strains tested for the study exhibited three genes for resistance to a common disinfectant from the class of chemicals known as quaternary ammonium compounds (QAC or QUAT).
The study included 258 isolates from butcheries, abbatoirs, retail establishments, cold storage facilities, and processing facilities located throughout South Africa.
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