The webinar “Food Safety in Focus: Control of Listeria monocytogenes in Food Processing Environments” proved to be a great success, bringing together over 200 participants from various sectors of the food supply chain. The high attendance demonstrated the growing interest and concern within the industry regarding the risks associated with this foodborne pathogen and the essential practices required to ensure consumer safety.
The event was promoted within the scope of the GenoPheno4Trait project, which aims to deepen scientific knowledge about Listeria monocytogenes and contribute to more robust, efficient, and sustainable food safety systems. The project also stands out for its potential to reduce food waste, one of the major challenges currently faced by the sector.
The session featured three speakers with relevant expertise in food safety:
- Sara Godinho, Head of the Public Health Division at the Directorate of Food Safety Services (DSSA)
- Jéssica Azevedo, Food Safety Manager at Mercadona Portugal
- Paulo Jorge Nobre Fernandes Martins, Technical Service Engineer at ABIASA
During the webinar, key topics for strengthening food safety in the industry were presented and discussed:
- Current challenges in controlling Listeria monocytogenes, a priority pathogen in food processing environments.
- Good hygiene and sanitation practices, essential to prevent contamination and ensure safe production conditions.
- Innovative monitoring and risk mitigation technologies, enabling more effective, evidence-based responses.
- The importance of collaboration between authorities, industry, and scientific research, highlighting the need for integrated strategies across the food supply chain.
The DSSA provided the perspective of an official authority by presenting the microbiological criteria applicable to Listeria monocytogenes and clarifying practical aspects of its implementation. The participation of the retail sector, through Mercadona, allowed the sharing of real-world cases and challenges in controlling Listeria on a daily operational level. Paulo Martins (ABIASA) shared his experience in identifying and resolving a persistence issue of the pathogene in a cheesemaking facility, emphasizing the importance of collaboration with external entities.
Moderated by Ana Sousa, representing Colab4Food, the final roundtable brought together all invited speakers for a discussion. The session also included contributions from Paula Teixeira (UCP) and Gonçalo Almeida (INIAV), who enriched the discussion with additional technical and scientific perspectives. The strong collaboration and organization by Colab4Food were key to the webinar’s success, facilitating an engaging debate highly relevant to the sector. Throughout the session, participants asked questions in real time, reinforcing the interactive nature of the event and enabling a practical approach to the real challenges faced by industry.
The interest shown confirms that food safety remains a strategic priority for the industry, and that knowledge-sharing actions, such as this webinar, are essential to promote continuous improvement and prepare the sector for emerging challenges. The event, held on November 25, concluded with thanks to all participants and an invitation to future initiatives related to food safety and technological innovation in the sector.
