Scientists from the Quadram Institute and UK Health Security Agency have discovered that bacterial populations remain stable on factory floor despite cleaning efforts in ready-to-eat food production facilities.
In 2019, six people died from a listeria outbreak caused by contaminated ready-to-eat foods served in a number of hospitals across the UK. In light of this, scientists are now performing vital research which helps to understand how these pathogens can persist in ready-to-eat food preparation environments.
The results showed that the populations of bacteria that coexist with L. monocytogenes were stable over time and have adapted to the conditions on the factory floor, including food safety controls. Maria Diaz from the Quadram Institute and lead of the study explains, “as L. monocytogenes is supported by a stable community of other bacteria, we may now need to develop new strategies to alter the whole bacterial population to effectively eliminate the pathogen.”
FoodWorld 