Prevention of listeria in salmonids by means of cleaning and disinfection of production facilities

Background

Listeria monocytogenes is one of the deadliest bacteria transmitted through food, and therefore receives a lot of attention from the food and health authorities and all stages of seafood production up to the consumer. Research and experience have shown that listeria enters production environments from raw fish materials or due to poor zone separation, and that it can establish itself in niches in the environment that are difficult to reach when cleaning. In order to prevent listeria, the most important measures are 1) to ensure that it does not find niches where it can survive in the production equipment and 2) to ensure that any listeria that enters the facilities (e.g. from raw materials) is removed through cleaning.

Listeria is good at forming biofilms and is therefore especially difficult to remove. Listeria can grow as biofilms on all types of salmon fractions – fat-rich, protein-rich and blood, but grows best in the first two mentioned fractions. Typical house strains of listeria are not only particularly good at forming biofilms, they also have protective mechanisms against the killing effect of lye, which is an important active ingredient in detergents, as well as against cationic surfactants or oxidising agents, which are the most common active ingredients in disinfectants. There is a need for cleaning solutions that are more sustainable from an effect, HSE, economic, environmental and corrosion perspective.

Main objective

To prepare a recommendation for combating Listeria monocytogenes in the seafood industry through washing and disinfection based on best current practices and new opportunities.

Worth knowing

Publications