Pesquisa de Listeria monocytogenes em sorvetes expresso e de buffet comercializados na cidade de Joaçaba, Santa Catarina – Brasil

Abstract

Listeria monocytogenes is the pathogen that causes listeriosis, and found in newborns, pregnant women, elderly and immuno-depressed their risk group. This bacterium can be present in food, even in a state of cooling, which can survive and multiply. The ice cream is a food obtained through a mixture of milk and other ingredients, which may suffer from microbiological contamination. Given this possibility, this study was conducted to investigate the contamination by Listeria monocytogenes in ice cream sold in seven stores in the city of Joaçaba, SC. 32 samples were collected of ice cream, 16 served buffet style and 16 of soft ice cream type during the months of January and February 2009. Was observed a rate of contamination by bacteria of the genus Listeria of 25,44% and 9.8% of L. monocytogenes, 6.25% of L. ivanovii, 3.13% of L. welshimeri. L. innocua was detected simultaneously with L. grayi on one sample (3.13%), and L. grayi was isolated in another sample (3.13%). The data showed a high presence of the genus Listeria, especially in ice cream served in a buffet, suggesting more attention from traders and health inspection authorities related to sanitary conditions during trading.