CHEESE

General
Depending on timing, frequency and dosage of the LISTEX™ application a significant reduction or a complete eradication of Listeria can be achieved. LISTEX™ can be applied during brining, washing, slicing, or shredding of a wide variety of cheeses.

LISTEX™ characteristics:
• easy to apply (i.e. through dipping or spraying)
• successfully used on dozens of food products
• does not affect organoleptic properties of treated products (taste, odor, texture, color)
as also asserted by USDA/FSIS
• is 100% natural and organic
• eradicates 99% of the thousands of strains tested
• does not interfere with desired lactic acid bacteria or yeasts
• can withstand a wide range of conditions which are commonly encountered during production
• is non-corrosive
• is approved as GRAS (Generally Recognised as Safe) by FDA and USDA/FSIS
• does not require labelling when used as a processing-aid

 White mould cheeses
These cheeses need to be treated before the fungus develops. Therefore, a single high dose of approx. 3-5x107 PFU/cm2 is deposited on the brining day.

Surface smeared cheeses
Treatment is performed either by spraying the phage culture onto the cheese surface or by dipping the cheese in a phage suspension. The overall object is to maintain a surface concentration of phages at a functional and acceptable level; i.e. in excess of 1,5x107 PFU/cm2.

LISTEX™ controls Listeria monocytogenes on cheese

 

Figure: Day 0, Listeria monocytogenes inoculation 7 CFU/ cm2 cheese surface

Since processing conditions in cheese production support Listeria growth, it is essential to prevent the initial infection from growing to high numbers. Small infections may remain undetected for a certain period of time and the contaminated cheese can become a significant source of re-contamination of the production environment which may lead to an outburst of Listeria monocytogenes. Despite well performing HACCP- programmes, this can destroy the benefits of weeks or months of investments in safety and hygiene. ,