Incidence of Listeria monocytogenes in beef, pork, raw-dried and raw-smoked sausages in Bulgaria

For a 5-years period (2002–2007) 786 samples (505 samples of beef, pork, minced beef, minced pork and 281 samples of raw-dry and raw-smoked sausages) were analyzed. From beef and pork 39 strains Listeria monocytogenes (7.7%), three strains Listeria ivanovii (0.6%), 23 strains Listeria innocua (4.6%) and four strains Listeria welshimeri (0.8%) were obtained. L. monocytogenes were isolated in 28 samples (10.0%), L. ivanovii, L. innocua and L. welshimeri – in 0.7%, 4.3% and 0.7%, respectively, from investigated raw-dried and raw-smoked sausages.