@inproceedings{01HGG7816D0C9BD7RZMW2892CN,
  abstract     = {{In recent years, pre-packed ready-to-eat (RTE) foods on the Belgian market have shifted to a more plant-based composition due to concerns about health, animal welfare, and sustainability. However, similar to animal-based RTE foods, plant-based RTE foods can be susceptible to the presence and outgrowth of L. monocytogenes. This can give rise to health risks for vulnerable consumers, which is substantiated by multiple recent listeriosis outbreaks reported for plant-based RTE foods in the EU and USA. In this regard, the prevalence and growth potential of L. monocytogenes were evaluated in this study for three pre-packed, plant-based RTE food types on the Belgian market, i.e. sliced vegetarian and vegan deli sandwich fillings, fresh-cut (mixes of) leafy vegetables, and multi-ingredient salad bowls.

The prevalence of L. monocytogenes was determined through a retail survey on ca. 50 different RTE foods of each category, purchased in supermarkets and small retail shops in Flanders, Belgium. Besides, challenge tests were performed based on the protocol described by the EU Reference Laboratory for L. monocytogenes (2021) to determine the growth potential of this pathogen in ca. three different pre-packed, plant-based RTE foods of each category (three different batches per product).

During the retail survey, L. monocytogenes was not detected in fresh-cut (mixes of) leafy vegetables (0 out of 51 batches), while 1 out of 51 and 6 out of 48 batches were found positive for respectively sliced vegan and vegetarian deli sandwich fillings and multi-ingredient salad bowls. In six out of nine challenge tests executed, growth of L. monocytogenes was supported (i.e. growth potential ≥ 0.50 log10 CFU/g during shelf life). The highest growth potential was observed for fresh-cut iceberg lettuce (3.60 log10 CFU/g in 9 days), but a large variation regarding the growth potential was noted both between and within the three studied pre-packed, plant-based RTE food categories. The variation was mainly caused by differences in product composition, physicochemical product characteristics, present (competitive) microbiota, applied preservation techniques, and shelf life. The results of the present study indicate the potential health risk of the investigated plant-based RTE foods for vulnerable consumers.}},
  author       = {{Van Paepeghem, Charlie and Taghlaoui, Fatima and De Loy-Hendrickx, Anja and Vermeulen, An and Devlieghere, Frank and Jacxsens, Liesbeth and Uyttendaele, Mieke}},
  booktitle    = {{27th Conference on Food Microbiology, Abstracts}},
  keywords     = {{Listeria monocytogenes,ready-to-eat,plant-based,prevalence,growth potential,challenge tests,retail survey,health risk}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  location     = {{Brussels, Belgium}},
  title        = {{Prevalence and growth potential of Listeria monocytogenes in innovative, pre-packed, plant-based ready-to-eat food products on the Belgian market}},
  year         = {{2023}},
}