The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) has issued new guidance to food businesses following the implementation of stricter European Union requirements for controlling Listeria monocytogenes in ready-to-eat (RTE) foods.
The revised requirements took effect on July 1, 2026, under Commission Regulation (EU) 2024/2895, which amends the EU’s microbiological criteria for foodstuffs under Regulation (EC) No. 2073/2005.
The change is particularly important for businesses producing RTE foods that can support the growth of Listeria monocytogenes, as the revised rules strengthen the microbiological standard that these products must meet throughout their shelf life.
Under the revised rules, a stricter criterion applies to ready-to-eat foods capable of supporting the growth of Listeria monocytogenes, excluding foods intended for infants and foods for special medical purposes.
Where a food business cannot demonstrate that Listeria monocytogenes will remain at or below 100 colony-forming units per gram (CFU/g) throughout the product’s shelf life, the applicable criterion becomes “not detected in 25 g” when the food is placed on the market and has left the immediate control of the producer.
This effectively places greater responsibility on food businesses to demonstrate that their products remain safe not just when they leave the manufacturing facility, but throughout their stated shelf life.
Ready-to-eat foods receive particular attention because consumers generally eat them without an additional cooking step that could destroy the pathogen.
Listeria monocytogenes is also unusual among many foodborne pathogens because it can survive and grow at refrigeration temperatures. As a result, contaminated RTE foods may become increasingly hazardous during storage, particularly when products have long shelf lives.
Foods that can support the growth of Listeria therefore require careful control of factors such as temperature, formulation, processing, packaging and shelf life.
The revised requirements mean businesses producing affected RTE foods need to review their existing food-safety systems.
FSAI advises food business operators to review the shelf life of relevant RTE products and ensure they remain compliant with the microbiological criteria throughout their shelf life. Businesses may need to conduct shelf-life studies, challenge tests or durability studies, where necessary, to demonstrate compliance.
Businesses also need effective procedures for preventing Listeria from entering or spreading within production environments.
This includes appropriate hygiene controls, environmental monitoring, cleaning and disinfection, temperature management and controls over raw materials and processing.
Earlier this year, FSAI published Guidance Note 45 on environmental monitoring of Listeria monocytogenes in RTE food businesses, aimed at helping businesses meet their legal requirements for sampling processing areas and equipment as part of their food-safety management systems.
One of the practical consequences of the new requirements could be an increase in food businesses identifying Listeria monocytogenes in products through testing.
FSAI has warned that the stricter criterion requires the use of a more sensitive microbiological testing approach capable of detecting low levels of Listeria monocytogenes.
As a result, consumers could see more precautionary recalls or food alerts involving RTE foods in the months following implementation, particularly where businesses have not adequately controlled Listeria throughout production and shelf life.
However, an increase in alerts should not necessarily be interpreted as evidence that food has suddenly become less safe.
Rather, increased detection can reflect stronger regulatory requirements, improved testing and greater scrutiny of products.
FSAI has previously noted that precautionary recalls related to Listeria can occur as part of food-safety monitoring and enforcement systems.
Listeria monocytogenes causes listeriosis, a foodborne infection that can become severe, particularly among vulnerable groups.
People at greater risk of serious illness include:
In severe cases, listeriosis can result in invasive illness and serious complications.
The pathogen is primarily transmitted through contaminated food and can enter food at different stages of production and handling. Cross-contamination can also occur after cooking, particularly when ready-to-eat products are handled before packaging or consumption.
One of the most important implications of the revised requirements is the greater emphasis on product shelf life.
A food may initially contain very low levels of Listeria monocytogenes, but if the product’s characteristics allow the organism to grow, concentrations can increase during storage.
Factors such as:
can influence whether Listeria can survive or multiply.
Therefore, assigning a shelf life is not simply a matter of maintaining product quality. For susceptible RTE foods, it is also an important food-safety control measure.
The new requirements come from Commission Regulation (EU) 2024/2895, adopted in November 2024 to amend Regulation (EC) No. 2073/2005 concerning microbiological criteria for foodstuffs.
Although the amendment was adopted in 2024, its application was delayed until July 1, 2026, giving food businesses time to prepare for the new requirements.
The European Commission also issued updated guidance in January 2026 to help businesses implement the revised requirements, particularly regarding Listeria monitoring and shelf-life studies for RTE foods.
For consumers, the immediate message is not to panic, but to remain aware of food alerts and follow storage instructions on RTE products.
The new rules are intended to strengthen controls and improve consumer protection.
Consumers should:
FSAI says the new requirements will raise the microbiological standards expected of food businesses and place greater emphasis on preventing Listeria monocytogenes from becoming a problem during the entire life of a product.
For manufacturers, the change means that “safe when produced” is not enough where an RTE product can support Listeria growth. Businesses must be able to demonstrate that their controls and shelf-life assumptions remain effective until the product reaches the end of its declared shelf life.
For consumers, the increased testing and stricter criteria may result in more food alerts being issued. But this can also represent a stronger surveillance system identifying potential problems before contaminated food causes widespread illness.