The EU is Tightening Controls on Listeria, Presenting the Food Industry With New Challenges

• The new global framework, which becomes mandatory on July 1, 2026, requires producers to ensure product safety throughout its entire shelf life, not just at the time of shipment.
• The report ‘New European Regulation on Zero Listeria and Its Impact on Ready-to-Eat Foods’ by Hiperbaric analyses the new legal framework, its implications for the industry, and technological solutions for prevention and preservation.
• High-Pressure Processing (HPP) technology prevents foodborne illness, ensures food safety, and extends shelf life.

Hiperbaric, a leading Spanish company in high-pressure technology, has released the report ‘New European Regulation on Zero Listeria and Its Impact on Food for Human Consumption,’ in which it provides a comprehensive analysis of the new legal framework that will become mandatory as of July 1, 2026, its impact on the food industry, and technological solutions for prevention and preservation, such as high-pressure processing (HPP) technology.

The new Regulation (EU) 2024/2895, adopted in 2024 and effective as of July 1, introduces significant changes to the microbiological criteria applicable to ready-to-eat foods that can support the growth of Listeria monocytogenes. As of that date, product safety must be guaranteed throughout the entire shelf life of the product, not just at the time of release from the factory.

To date, the legislation provides for two scenarios. First, the producer must demonstrate that the pathogen will not exceed the limit of 100CFU/g (colony-forming units per gram) during the product’s shelf life or, in the absence of such evidence, guarantee its absence—that is, ensure it is not detected before the food leaves the manufacturer’s control.

The main change is that this second criterion is being tightened. If the producer cannot scientifically prove that the bacteria will remain below the permitted threshold, they must ensure its non-detection (< 1 cfu in 25g) not only at the factory, but throughout the product’s shelf life on the market.

“Product responsibility no longer ends at the factory gate, but extends throughout the product’s entire lifecycle to ensure maximum protection of public health from production through distribution”, says Carole Tonello, vice-president of Business Development at Hiperbaric.

New challenges for the industry

Regulations require the industry to implement stricter controls, improved traceability, and greater product accountability, while facing higher costs associated with shelf-life studies, laboratory analyses, and adjustments to manufacturing and/or logistics processes to prevent the presence of bacteria during transport and throughout storage.

This regulatory shift is based, among other studies, on the EU’s One Health 2024 report, which ranks Listeria monocytogenes as the fourth most commonly reported zoonosis, with 3,041 confirmed cases in 2024. The data show that infections have followed an upward trend over the past five years, partly linked to an ageing population and increased consumption of ready-to-eat products.

Furthermore, according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), this pathogen is responsible for the highest proportion of hospitalisations and deaths among foodborne infectious diseases. Nearly seven out of ten infected individuals require hospitalisation, and approximately one in twelve dies.

To put this into perspective with other common pathogens, and according to 2024 data from the EFSA (European Food Safety Authority), salmonellosis has a case fatality rate of 0.24%, and STEC infection has a rate of 0.31%. However, the fatality rate for listeriosis soars to 15.6%. “We are dealing with a disease that has a critical impact: nearly one in six people diagnosed dies, which justifies the need for extreme control measures in the industry,” explains Tonello.

Technological solutions for prevention and conservation

Given this new legal framework, there are various technological solutions for prevention and preservation applied to the food industry to ensure food safety. Among these is high-pressure processing (HPP), one of the most promising technologies for preventing cases of food poisoning, ensuring food safety, and extending shelf life.

The technology involves subjecting packaged food to very high pressure of up to 6,000 bar, which is applied uniformly using water. Applying it after sealing helps manage contamination risks introduced during cutting, handling, filling, or packaging, with minimal impact on flavour, texture, appearance, and nutritional values compared to heat-based pasteurisation methods.

Scientific validation of HPP for zero Listeria

Anna Jofré, a researcher in microbiology and food safety at the Institute for Agri-Food Research and Technology (IRTA), explains that there are three tools for validating the effectiveness of treatments against Listeria. Scientific literature, which involves searching scientific publications and reports for evidence that the technology we apply against Listeria in a food similar to the one we want to test is effective against this pathogen; predictive microbiology, which uses mathematical models to predict the inactivation of Listeria pathogens; and the challenge test, in which experimental trials are conducted with the food.

“Various studies and trials conducted by the institute show that applying HPP at a pressure of 6,000 bar for three minutes is the most effective strategy for reducing the risk of listeriosis in cooked ham, for example. Pressure is the solution for achieving zero listeria in ready-to-eat foods”, concludes Jofré.

The success story of Tappers’ ready-to-eat meals

For her part, Elena Rodríguez, Director of Operations at MRM and Tappers, who also participated in the presentation of the report as a success story in the application of HPP, highlighted the excellent results achieved in the product lines treated with this technology: “In the fresh prepared meals sector, where water activity and pH levels can promote the growth of Listeria throughout the product’s shelf life, high-pressure processing has established itself as the definitive solution. It achieves total efficacy against the pathogen and significantly extends the product’s shelf life, while keeping its sensory and nutritional qualities intact,” explains Rodríguez.

About HIPERBARIC

Hiperbaric is the world’s leading supplier of high-pressure processing equipment for the food industry. Since 1999, the company has been designing, developing, and manufacturing the world’s most advanced HPP systems, renowned for their reliability, innovation, and customer service.

Hundreds of companies use Hiperbaric equipment to process juices, meats, seafood, fruits, vegetables, dairy products, and prepared foods. Headquartered in Spain with offices in Miami (USA) and Shanghai (China), Hiperbaric serves customers worldwide.

For more information, visit: www.hiperbaric.com