Listeria monocytogenes is a frequent problem in meat products, mince, sausages, smoked fish, cheese, etc.
Listeria is:

• an environmental Gram+ bacterium 
• a pathogen highly resistant to many physical and chemical parameters,
• a bacterium developing both at low and at high temperatures, high and low pH, resistant to freezing and drying.

Preventive measures to combat it are: improved hygiene in production departments and prevention with specific bacteria not altering the product sensory properties.
Bacterial cultures are essential to counteract Listeria in a scenario of:

• shortly processed food, prepared meals and frozen dishes
• chemical additives - often altering product’s taste
• consumers attention to chemical additives

Bioprotective cultures are good bacteria contrasting the indigenous flora, thus inhibiting it.
Lactic acid bacteria are applied to the product to control the indigenous flora and

• improve product quality, by slowing the growth of bacteria generating the deterioration
• improve product safety, reducing pathogenic bacteria

Bioprotective cultures for non-fermented products are used to inhibit “bad” bacteria and Listeria, contributing to flavour and color formation.
Raw materials are often a mean for Listeria: you can have it in high concentrations; in fermented, minces and whole piece products production, specific tools should be used.
Despite pH lowering, production of lactic acid and weight loss, bacteria often survive, and thus wasting the finished product. Listeria monocytogenes is mostly frequent in products with weak acidification and relatively high Aw.

In order to reduce Listeria in meat products, Chimab has developed three specific solutions for different applications:

• CARNIFLORA F-B19: complete starter culture for salami.
• CARNIFLORA B-LX 23: starter culture for fresh minced products
• CARNIFLORA B-SC 143 starter culture for raw products in whole pieces

CARNIFLORA F-B 19
Designed to reduce Listeria and to ensure salami safety, Carniflora F-B19 is a specific and complete starter culture of Lactobacillus curvatus, Pediococcus acidilactici, Staphylococcus xylosus, Staphylococcus carnosus, requiring no other starter culture.
Their mutual action produce bacteriocins with strong anti-Listeria action during the fermentation process, thus significantly reducing its concentration.
Due to its versatility, CARNIFLORA F-B 19 can be widely used in fermented products and different applications, consequently meeting all safety needs.
Moreover, thanks to its specific bacterial combination, CARNIFLORA F-B19 guarantees both acidification and bioprotection, avoiding additional use of other starter cultures – and allowing cost reduction.

In other applications, Listeria is reduced through products designed for specific formulation:

• CARNIFLORA B-LX 23: developed for minced products: as hamburgers, sausages, etc
• CARNIFLORA B-SC 143: developed for raw and whole muscle products: as pork, bacon, bresaola, speck, etc

CARNIFLORA B-LX 23: starter cultures of selected bacteria:
• Lactobacillus sakei – omofermentative, growing also at + 2°C , inhibits microorganisms at low temperatures, destroying the indigenous flora.
• Staphylococcus xylosus - reduces nitrite and nitrate, has lipolytic and proteolytic activity, improves taste and flavor in finished products.

CARNIFLORA B-SC 143: starter cultures consisting of:
• Lactobacillus sakei – omofermentative, works at low temperatures killing the indigenous flora.
• Staphylococcus carnosus - reduces nitrite and nitrate with lipolytic and proteolytic activity, improving finished products taste and flavor.