Cornell University food scientists discovered five previously unknown and novel relatives of listeria while investigating the presence of the bacteria in agricultural soil throughout the United States.
According to the researchers, the finding would assist food facilities in identifying new development niches that might have been ignored previously, thus enhancing food safety.
New Listeria Species
Catharine R. Carlin, a doctoral student in food science, said, "This study expands the set of listeria organisms controlled in food processing settings." "Expanding the awareness base to consider the diversity of listeria would save the agricultural food industry time and money by preventing infection, explaining false positives, and preventing foodborne outbreaks."
L. immobilis, one of the new species, lacked motility or the ability to run. Listeria is a fast-moving organism. The motility of listeria closely related to L. monocytogenes, a well-known foodborne pathogen, was believed to be widespread among scientists, and it was used as a central measure in listeria detection methods. According to Carlin, this finding essentially necessitates a revision of the existing recognition guidelines provided by food protection regulators.
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Food Sanitation
Since listeria species also coexist in conditions that allow L. monocytogenes development, food facilities can track all listeria species and ensure that their sanitation procedures are up to par.
Listeria monocytogenes may have a significant pathogenic impact on food processing facilities, so they must be kept safe. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, listeriosis has a death rate of 20% to 30%, even though a patient is taking antibiotics. FDA stands for Food and Drug Administration.
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Listeriosis Cases
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 1,600 individuals in the United States contract listeriosis each year, with about 260 deaths.
"From an evolutionary viewpoint and from a functional viewpoint for the food industry, this paper explains certain unusual traits of listeria organisms that are closely similar to listeria monocytogenes," said co-author Martin Wiedmann, a professor of food safety and food science. "Some assessments would almost certainly need to be re-evaluated."
Understanding the differences and similarities among listeria species is critical. "This will help us get better at detecting listeria monocytogenes and not mistaking it for anything similar," Wiedmann said.
13 of the 26 species included in the genus listeria have been discovered by Wiedmann's research group since 2010.
"You need to know the pathogenic listeria from the non-pathogenic organisms while examining the conditions of food processing plants or restaurants," Wiedmann said. "You have to be able to distinguish between the good guys and the bad guys."
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