Introduction

Abstract

Despite extensive research in recent years, Listeria monocytogenes continues to be a threat to public health and a challenge to the food industry, particularly the ready-to-eat food industry. As consumer demand for less processed, less preserved, longer shelf-life ready-to-eat food increases, the threat of L. monocytogenes to public health and the food industry also increases. In the genus Listeria there are now 15 different species. However, L. monocytogenes, and to a lesser extent L. ivanovii, currently remain as the only pathogenic species. L. monocytogenes is pathogenic to humans, causing listeriosis, and L. ivanovii is mainly pathogenic to animals, although a few cases of human infection have been reported (Guillet et al. 2010; Snapir et al. 2006).