Detection of Listeria spp. and Listeria monocytogenes in retail dairy products using the Vitek immunodiagnostic assay system LDUO method and ISO method 11290-1

Abstract

This study aims to determine the presence of Listeria monocytogenes, an important infectious agent in humans, and other Listeria spp. in retail dairy products using the Vitek Immunodiagnostic Assay System LDUO (VIDAS LDUO) rapid detection method and ISO method 11290-1 (ISO 11290-1). One hundred dairy products (10 pasteurised milk, 10 kashar cheese, 20 white cheese, 18 mihalic cheese, 12 curd cheese, 20 ice cream, and 10 butter samples), collected randomly from food stores in Bursa, Turkey were analysed using the VIDAS LDUO and ISO 11290-1 methods. The results showed that one dairy sample (1%), a mihalic cheese, was positive for both Listeria spp. and L. monocytogenes. This finding highlights the risk of Listeria contamination of cheese manufactured from raw milk.