EU-RL Listeria monocytogenes

European Union Reference Laboratory (EU-RL) for Listeria monocytogenes

The European Parliament and the Council of the European Union have appointed AFSSA (which became ANSES as of 1 July 2010), as the European Union Reference Laboratory for Listeria monocytogenes, for a five-year period starting on 1 June 2006.

The laboratory is under the authority of the Directorate General for Health and Consumers of the European Commission. It is located at the Laboratory for study and research on quality of foods and food processes in Maisons-Alfort.

Most of the work done by the laboratory involves the implementation of four heath criteria for Listeria monocytogenes, set down in Regulation (EC) no. 2073/2005 on microbiological criteria applicable to foodstuffs.

Qualitative criteria (absence of L. monocytogenes in a 25 g sample of food):
- in ready-to-eat foods for infants and ready-to-eat foods for special medical purposes;
- in other ready-to-eat foods which may favour development of L. monocytogenes, before the food has left the immediate control of the food business operator who has produced it.

Quantitative criteria (a limit (1) of 100 cfu/g [colony-forming units per gram of food] of L. monocytogenes):
- in ready-to-eat foods able to support the growth of L. monocytogenes placed on the market during their shelf-life;
- in ready-to-eat foods which are not able to support the growth of L. monocytogenes placed on the market during their shelf-life

Within the context of its reference activities for the European Union, the laboratory's missions include (2):

Providing technical and scientific support to the European Commission, the National reference laboratories and, if necessary, to countries outside the EU

· Analysis of samples with unexpected or uncertain results
· Supplying National reference laboratories with reference strains
· Collaboration in the event of an alert

Improving, harmonising and developing new analytical tools

· Harmonising the application of official methods throughout the network of National reference laboratories by organising interlaboratory proficiency tests.
· Improving strain typing, detection and enumeration methods.
· Using a predictive microbiology approach to studying the evolution of Listeria monocytogenes during the shelf-life of food products through to the end of shelf-life.

Providing information

· Organisation of an annual work meeting
· Organisation of training sessions on official methods or methods developed by the European Union reference laboratory for the National reference laboratories
· Creation of a dedicated web space for the L. monocytogenes European reference laboratories

(1) set down in Regulation (EC) no. 2073/2005 on microbiological criteria applicable to foodstuffs
(2) details provided in Regulation (EC) no. 882/2004

Avril 2010