MEAT HYGIENE DIRECTIVE: 2009-43

PDF (159 kb)

Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0Y9

September 16, 2009

SUBJECT: Chapter 5 - Update of Appendix 4 of the Listeria section

Methods of analysis for Listeria monocytogenes in product and mandated food contact surfaces samples, and Listeria spp. in mandated food contact surfaces samples.

Appendix 4 of the MOP Chapter 5 Listeria section has been updated to include the following methodologies:

• For Ready-to Eat meat and poultry products: MFLP-31 and MFLP-74
• For environmental testing: MFHPB-07, MFHPB-29, MFLP-31, MFLP-34 and MFLP-71

ENGLISH VERSION

Please replace Appendix 4 of the Listeria section in your Manual of Procedures with the attached pages.

FRENCH VERSION

Please replace Appendix 4 of the Listeria section in your Manual of Procedures with the attached pages.

ORIGINAL SIGNED BY

Dr. Richard Arsenault
Director
Meat Programs Division

Attachment

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Appendix 4 - Methods of Analysis for Listeria monocytogenes in product and mandated food contact surfaces samples, and Listeria spp. in mandated food contact surfaces samples

All testing of environmental food contact surface samples mandated by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), as well as any product testing performed by operators as part of Listeria verification procedures in their establishment must be done following the procedures outlined in Section 5.3.11.9.1 of this document.

In addition to these requirements, all testing must be performed using approved methodology as outlined below.

Approved methodology can be found in the Health Canada Compendium of Analytical Methods, which is located at the following link:
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/res-rech/analy-meth/microbio/index-eng.php

The most recent version of the following methods are approved for use when testing for either Listeria monocytogenes (in product or environment) or Listeria spp. (in the environment).

NOTE: Positive results from any rapid screening methods are considered presumptive. Listeria spp. confirmation and speciation of L. monocytogenes can be accomplished by using motility agar, hemolysis and carbohydrate testing as a minimum, as described in MFHPB-30.

Appropriate methods for the testing of Listeria monocytogenes include:

Ready-to-eat meat and poultry products

• MFHPB-30: Isolation of Listeria monocytogenes from all food and environmental samples.
• MFLP-28: The Qualicon Bax® System Method for the Detection of Listeria monocytogenes in a variety of foods.
• MFLP-31: Identification of Listeria monocytogenes by the Warnex^TM Real Time Polymerase Chain Reaction System.
• MFLP-74: Enumeration of Listeria monocytogenes in foods (to use as per the Policy on Listeria monocytogenes in ready-to-eat foods).

For environmental testing (testing for either Listeria spp. and/or L. monocytogenes)

• MFHPB-07: The detection of Listeria spp. in foods and environmental samples using Palcam Broth.
• MFHPB-29: Detection of Listeria spp. in foods and environmental samples by the Vidas Listeria^TM method.
• MFHPB-30: Isolation of Listeria monocytogenes from all food and environmental samples.
• MFLP-15: The detection of Listeria spp. from environmental surfaces using the Dupont Qualicon Bax® System method and direct plating.
• MFLP-31: Identification of Listeria monocytogenes by the Warnex^TM real time polymerase chain reaction system.
• MFLP-34: Detection of Listeria spp. in foods and environmental samples by the VIP Method.
• MFLP-71: Detection of Listeria spp. in foods using the Oxoid Listeria rapid test (the Clearview kit).

All analysis must be performed in an accredited laboratory as defined in Section 5.3.11.9.1.

Other methods of analysis (e.g., from the Health Canada's Compendium, AOAC, ISO, NMKL, FSIS, BAM etc.) for both L. monocytogenes in food product and environmental samples and Listeria spp. in environmental samples, will be considered with the provision of validation data to support the requested method. A system to notify both industry and private laboratories of newly approved methods that are accepted by the CFIA and Health Canada for testing L. monocytogenes and/or Listeria spp. in meat products and environmentals is under development and will be implemented shortly.

As with any methods, as new data and innovative methods become available, methods in the Compendium will continue to be revised, and then reviewed by the Microbiology Methods Committee.