Listeria monocytogenes remains one of the major challenges in food safety. Its ability to survive and adapt in processing environments makes it a persistent threat, even under strict hygiene measures.
The increase in cases across Europe and growing regulatory pressure highlight the need for innovative, effective, and safe solutions that can be easily integrated into production processes without affecting food quality.
AZTI has developed a natural and innovative bacteriophage-based formulation to control Listeria monocytogenes in foods and food-processing environments. This biotechnological solution complements conventional hygiene measures, strengthening food safety without altering beneficial microbiota or the organoleptic properties of the product.
The developed solution has demonstrated high efficacy against Listeria monocytogenes in fish, meat, dairy, and plant-based foods, achieving a significant reduction of the pathogen under real application conditions. These results reinforce AZTI’s position as a reference organisation in the development of biotechnological tools for pathogen biocontrol in the food industry
Sectors: Food and Health, Food sector
Research lines: Biotechnology, Food Quality and Safety, One health
Research sublines: Food biotechnology, Minimising food safety risks