Managing Listeria in ready-to-eat foods
From 1 July 2026, updated EU rules on Listeria monocytogenes in ready-to-eat foods come into effect.
The change means that the stricter "not detected in 25 grams" standard, previously required only at the point of manufacture, will now apply to products throughout their shelf life, including at wholesale, retail, and import.
Food businesses producing ready-to-eat foods that could support the growth of Listeria monocytogenes need to understand what this means for them and what steps they may need to take before the July deadline.
In April 2026, Safefood hosted a webinar on the new legislation for food businesses across the island of Ireland. You can watch the recordings below.
The new Listeria rules - what's changing and why
Dr Mary Lenahan, Senior Technical Executive in the Biological Safety Team at the Food Safety Authority of Ireland, explains the public health reasons behind the amendment, what the legislation currently says and how it will change. She explains what food businesses need to do to demonstrate compliance, including how to carry out shelf life studies for Listeria monocytogenes.
Managing Listeria in practice
Catherine Coady, Regional Technical Director at Sofina Foods Europe, draws on her experience managing Listeria monocytogenes across multiple ready-to-eat cooked meat sites to share practical guidance on environmental monitoring, site hygiene, and predictive modelling tools. The Q&A session that follows also covers the application of the new rules in Northern Ireland.
