Fish Cultures

A wide variety of foods are related to cases of listeriosis, among these, a high-risk group is represented by fish ready for consumption products and smoked salmon. The expedients used in the cold smoking process, such as salting, smoking and drying, are not sufficient to ensure that Listeria monocytogenes does not develop. Furthermore, the packaging conditions, such as vacuum packing and refrigerated storage, do not prevent the growth of bacteria that could pose a health hazard.

Some lactic bacteria produce bacteriocins, antimicrobial components to which Listeria monocytogenes is sensitive. Consequently the application of bacteriocins producing starter cultures of may be a further expedient to ensure food safety.

The Sacco company has a protective culture for fish processing. Lyoflora FP-18 is made of Carnobacterium producers of bacteriocins that inhibit the growth of L. monocytogenes in fish products.

The culture was developed by two French research institutes, Ifremer and Oniris, who hold the scientific documentation.

The culture is mainly applied by the injection of brine into which it has been previously dissolved; as part of the function of the production process it can also be applied during the dry salting or sprayed on the surface of the fish products