Report of the Scientific Committee of the Spanish Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition (AESAN) regarding the verification of Listeria monocytogenes shelf-life studies for ready-to-eat foods

* This record is given in both English and Spanish.

The Spanish Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition (AESAN) and the competent authorities of various regional governments (autonomous communities) created a working group for the preparation of a “Guidance Document for the verification of Listeria monocytogenes shelf-lilfe studies for ready-to-eat foods. The Section of Food Safety and Nutrition of the Scientific Committee of the Spanish Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition was asked to revise the Guidance Document and propose practical examples for its better understanding.
The Guidance Document describes a procedure that serves as a tool for the competent inspection authorities in order to verify the  suitability of the Listeria monocytogenes shelf-life studies prepared by food business operators dedicated to the manufacturing packaging and repackaging of ready-to-eat foods.
The Document collects the existing information around the shelf-life studies and describes a procedure for the verification of said studies, including a checklist which enables the compliance with different requirementes of the presented studies to be checked.
The Excellence Network for quantitative biological risk assessment in Spain, BIOQURA, prepared a series of practical examples, of  which a brief description is collected in the present report.
The Scientific Committee concludes that the Guidance Document is adequate, at present, for the purpose established. This Document should be regularly updated in light of the experience obtained from its application, progress in scientific knowledge, changes in the legislation and guidelines on this type of studies which may be developed at national or European Union level.