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A Quantitative Risk Assessment Model for Listeria monocytogenes in Non-Ready-to-Eat Frozen Vegetables
Ursula Gonzales-Barron1,2, Régis Pouillot3, Juliana De Oliveira Mota4
1Centro de Investigação de Montanha (CIMO), Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Campus de Santa Apolónia, 5300-253 Bragança, Portugal.
Foods (Basel, Switzerland)
|November 27, 2024
Summary
A quantitative risk assessment model evaluates invasive listeriosis risk from frozen vegetables. Not cooking these non-ready-to-eat products poses a higher risk than raw vegetable contamination levels.
Area of Science:
- Food Safety
- Microbiology
- Quantitative Risk Assessment
Background:
- Invasive listeriosis remains a public health concern, particularly linked to foodborne pathogens like Listeria monocytogenes.
- Non-ready-to-eat (non-RTE) frozen vegetables present a potential vehicle for pathogen transmission if not handled or processed adequately.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and present a quantitative risk assessment (QRA) model for evaluating invasive listeriosis risk associated with consuming non-RTE frozen vegetables.
- To assess the impact of various control measures, including processing interventions and consumer handling practices, on reducing this risk.
Main Methods:
- A QRA model was developed using R functions to simulate Listeria monocytogenes concentration and prevalence throughout processing and consumer handling.
- The model incorporated data on blanching effectiveness, processing environment hygiene, end-product testing, and consumer practices like thawing and cooking.
- Scenario analyses were conducted to identify critical control points and influential factors in the risk pathway.
Main Results:
- The model estimated that 9.4% of frozen vegetable packages could be contaminated, with mean levels below 10 CFU/g in a reference scenario.
- The lot-level mean risk of listeriosis was estimated at 2.935 × 10⁻¹⁴ for uncooked servings and 2.765 × 10⁻¹⁷ for cooked servings.
- Not cooking non-RTE frozen vegetables was identified as a greater risk contributor than raw vegetable or processing environment contamination levels.
Conclusions:
- The developed QRA model provides a valuable tool for assessing and managing the risk of listeriosis from non-RTE frozen vegetables.
- Findings highlight the critical importance of consumer cooking practices in mitigating food safety risks.
- The model can inform the implementation of strengthened risk management measures in response to evolving dietary trends and consumer behaviors.
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