The Listeria genus is ubiquitous in our environment, and while most species do not cause disease in humans, L. monocytogenes does pose a human health threat, especially in immunocompromised individuals and pregnant women. Listeria is commonly found in food manufacturing environments and outbreaks have been reported from many different food sources, including meats and dairy products. Listeria presents a challenge in food production environments because is able to grow in environments ranging from pH of 5.0 – 9.6 and at refrigerated temperatures.
BULB is a selective enrichment media for the growth of Listeria spp. from food goods and other environmental samples. Peptones provide the nitrogen sources needed for growth, along with vitamins and minerals to support cellular function. Salts act as buffering agents. Inhibitory agents provide the selectivity needed to grow Listeria.
The new enrichment protocol with BACGroTM Ultra Listeria Broth (BULB) in combination with BACGene is AFNOR certified, for all human food products and industrial production environmental samples.