Occurrence of Listeria spp. in Brazilian fresh sausage and control of Listeria monocytogenes using bacteriophage P100

Since the 1980s, an increase in outbreaks of human listeriosis linked to contaminated food has been a concern of health authorities. Intensively manipulated foods, such as Brazilian fresh sausage, are frequently responsible for food-borne diseases. In this work the occurrence of Listeria monocytogenes and the efficacy of bacteriophage P100 (LISTEX™) to control the microorganism was evaluated in Brazilian fresh sausage. Eighty samples were analyzed, 40 each of swine and chicken Brazilian fresh sausage. Listeria spp. were isolated from 12 samples (15%), of which three (3.75%) were positive for L. monocytogenes. L. monocytogenes strains isolated belonged to serotype 1/2a. L. monocytogenes 1/2a was inoculated in Brazilian fresh sausage (2.1 × 104 cfu/g) with the bacteriophage added thereafter (3.0 × 107 pfu/g). Samples were analysed immediately (day zero) and then stored at 4 °C for 10 days. The bacteriophage P100 reduced L. monocytogenes counts by 2.5 log units at both 0 and 10 days compared to controls without bacteriophage. In spite of this, the populations of L. moncytogenes increased over the 10 day storage. Our data demonstrate that in one of the samples the use of the bacteriophage dropped the bacteria count below the level of direct detection. This study demonstrates a new alternative for pathogen control in the food industry, especially in the processes used to produce Brazilian fresh sausage.