Listeria contamination at a poultry processing plant

A survey was made of Listeria contamination at a chicken processing plant with a two‐stage ‘hot’ enrichment procedure in conjunction with three selective plating media. Results from three separate visits indicated that carcasses acquired listerias mainly via contaminated surfaces and equipment. Whereas no listerias were detected on neck skin from freshly slaughtered birds or in the caeca, Listeria monocytogenes was isolated from 50% of oven‐ready carcasses prior to packaging. In further tests, some caecal samples yielded L. monocytogenes, but only after prolonged cold enrichment.