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Effectiveness of current hygiene practices on minimization of Listeria monocytogenes in different mushroom productionârelated environments
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2020-05-20
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Pennone, V, Dygico, KL, Coffey, A, et al. Effectiveness of current hygiene practices on minimization of Listeria monocytogenes in different mushroom productionârelated environments. Food Sci Nutr. 2020; 8: 3456â 3468. doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/fsn3.1629
Abstract
Background: The commercial production of Agaricus bisporus is a three stage process:
1) production of compost, also called âsubstrateâ; 2) production of casing soil; and
3) production of the mushrooms. Hygiene practices are undertaken at each stage:
pasteurization of the substrate, hygiene practices applied during the production of
casing soil, postharvest steam cookout, and disinfection at the mushroom production
facilities. However, despite these measures, foodborne pathogens, including Listeria
monocytogenes, are reported in the mushroom production environment. In this work,
the presence of L. monocytogenes was evaluated before and after the application of
hygiene practices at each stage of mushroom production with swabs, samples of
substrate, casing, and spent mushroom growing substrates.
Results: L. monocytogenes was not detected in any casing or substrate sample by enumeration according to BS EN ISO 11290-2:1998. Analysis of the substrate showed
that L. monocytogenes was absent in 10 Phase II samples following pasteurization,
but was then present in 40% of 10 Phase III samples. At the casing production facility, 31% of 59 samples were positive. Hygiene improvements were applied, and
after four sampling occasions, 22% of 37 samples were positive, but no statistically
significant difference was observed (p > .05). At mushroom production facilities, the
steam cookout process inactivated L. monocytogenes in the spent growth substrate,
but 13% of 15 floor swabs at Company 1 and 19% of 16 floor swabs at Company 2,
taken after disinfection, were positive.
Conclusion: These results showed the possibility of L. monocytogenes recontamination of Phase III substrate, cross-contamination at the casing production stage and
possible survival after postharvest hygiene practices at the mushroom growing facilities. This information will support the development of targeted measures to minimize
L. monocytogenes in the mushroom industry.