Plant-based intervention strategies for Listeria monocytogenes control in foods.

Listeriosis is a severe human disease caused by two potentially pathogenic listerial species: Listeria monocytogenes and Listeria ivanovii. In particular, the risk of contamination can be significantly high in refrigerated ready-to-eat foods, due to the limited use of traditional antimicrobial barriers. Moreover, Listeria spp. is widely disseminated in the manufacturing environment and can contaminate foods even after listericide treatments. This chapter reviews the applications of plant-based biopreservation strategies for effective Listeria monocytogenes control in foods. In recent years, plant extracts and essential oils have attracted considerable interest for use as biopreservatives in food products, although industrial applications are still limited. The aim of the chapter is to analyse the possibile impact of published research in the manufacturing environment, as well as to assess future scientific needs.