The New Zealand Seafood Standards Council (NZSSC), the seafood
industry and the New Zealand Food Safety Authority (NZFSA) have
joined forces to develop a more robust and consistent approach
to monitoring and dealing with Listeria monocytogenes in ready-
to-eat seafood. The seafood industry had identified that the
Listeria Circular 1995 (IAIS 003.9), which ready-to-eat seafood
producers have been using to manage the pathogen, needed
updating following international advances in how listeria
Listeria was managed. A technical working group led by the NZSSC
with representatives from industry, NZFSA and other experts
undertook the review. “Listeria monocytogenes is a bacteria that
can cause a serious illness called listeriosis,” NZFSA
specialist advisor Marion Castle says. “Although sickness is
rare it can have serious consequences, especially for pregnant
women who risk miscarrying or giving birth prematurely.” The
Listeria Monitoring Programme for Ready-to-Eat Seafood was
developed with two facets; one for long sh