Listeria monocytogenes in Norwegian fish producing plants and preventative measures

Abstract

In this study I have summarized the importance of L.monocytogenes in Norwegian fish production plants and the most important aspects of its preventive measures. In the last ten years the prevalence of L.monocytogenes in ready–to-eat food has increased. It is frequently isolated from seafood products like smoked salmon, curled salmon, cooked fish, fermented fish and shellfish products. L. monocytogenes is a common bacterium that survives extremely well in the processing plant environment, and it is the causative agent of the infectious disease listeriosis. Today listeriosis is regarded as a food-borne disease of public health concern due to the approximate mortality rate from 30% to 75% in high risk groups like pregnant, immunocompromised, elderly and newborns.