Listeria monocytogenes: health risk and a challenge for food processing establishments

Listeria monocytogenes is a pathogenic bacterium present in several environments able to survive and proliferate in food processing plants, contaminating products that when ingested can lead to listeriosis. Worldwide, the bacterium has been isolated from foods of animal and plant origin and its occurrence in ready-to-eat foods is a challenge for food processing establishments. Serotypes 1/2a, 1/2b, 1/2c, and 4b related to 95% of listeriosis cases have been detected in different foods and presented resistance to common antibiotics such as tetracycline and penicillin. The analysis and dissemination of the presence of L. monocytogenes in different foods are essential to anchor control and prevention measures. In Brazil, despite the lack of official data on contamination by L. monocytogenes, some studies have reported the presence of bacteria in various foods and food processing environments. Thus, this review focuses on presenting the main characteristics of the L. monocytogenes, resistance to antimicrobial agents, and occurrence in several foods and countries from 2010 to 2020.