Listeria Testing and Analysis
Listeria testing is important because on April 8, 2015, Hummus Company, Sabra Dipping Company, recalled various SKUs of their Hummus due to possible Listeria Contamination. In humans, listeria can cause listeriosis which may cause fever and muscle aches, or stiff neck in humans.
Listeriosis is generally contracted by eating food contaminated by the listeria monocytogenes bacteria. Listeria is found in soil, water and some animals, such as poultry and cattle. It is unusual because it can grow in a refrigerator. Listeria monocytogenes bacteria is a Gram-positive rods bacteria. Listeria has an incubation period of 3-70 days.
Listeria infection in humans is tested by isolating Listeria monocytogenes from a normally sterile site, such as blood, spinal fluid, or amniotic fluid/placenta. According to the US Center for Disease Control (US CDC), Listeria monocytogenes can be isolated readily on routine media with selective enrichment media improving the rates of isolation from contaminated specimens. Cultures will generally take 1-2 days for growth.
Microbiology Laboratories perform Listeria Testing on products from surface samples for its presence or absence of the bacterium. The US Food and Drug Administration’s website lists many recalls of food products due to Listeria contamination including in cheeses and processed meat products, ices cream, soy sprouts, spinach and artichoke dips, and even ravioli.
Contract Laboratory, Inc. has helped many food manufacturers and distributors with outsourcing their Listeria testing to Microbiology Laboratories. Examples are below:
Listeria Testing Requests
| Costa Rica and Russia ISO 17025 Food Laboratory needed for meat testing (microbiology, genetics, chemistry) including bacon, ham, beef toppings, italian sausage and chicken products, for: Total coliforms, Escherichia coli (E. coli), Salmonella ssp., Listeria spp., Listeria monocytogenes | |||
| North America Microbiology Laboratory needed for Microbiology Testing: Preservative challenge testing on a sample of ionic silver, over 28 days with candida albicans, aspergillus niger, e.coli, pseudomonas aeruginosa, staphylococcus aureus, enterocococcus faecalis, listeria | |||
| FDA GMP Virginia Food Laboratory needed for pork testing for approval of our curing process Aw (Water Activity), Ph, Listeria, Salmonella, E. Coli (counting) Staph Trichinecia | |||
| Biological biocide manufacturer needs microbiology and genetics laboratory for biocide testing. In the production range we have three biological insecticides and one biological fungicide and a basis of the bacteria Bacillus thuringiensis (www.bioec.rs). | |||
| India Microbiology Laboratory needed for microbiology testing for salmonella and listeria |
If your company has questions about Listeria or other Microbiology Testing and Analysis, please call us toll-free at 1-855-377-6821 Toll Free 24/7.
If your company manufacturers food products and needs a Microbiology Laboratory for Listeria, or other bacteria testing:
SUBMIT A LABORATORY TEST REQUEST at: https://www.contractlaboratory.com/labclass/forms/outsource_entryform.cfm
To read more about the Sabra Dipping Company Listeria in Hummus Recall visit  http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm441863.htm
Originally posted 2015-04-15 02:56:46.
