If you get the fabric right – the microbiology follows

Listeria remains one of the most significant microbiological hazards in UK ready-to-eat (RTE) foods and across the wider food industry.

Unlike many pathogens, it can survive and grow at refrigeration temperatures, persist for years in poorly designed environments, and exploit moisture, damaged surfaces, and ineffective zoning strategies.

Control therefore depends on three important pillars:

• Product controls – formulation, shelf-life validation, and cold-chain management.
• Environmental controls – hygienic design, sanitation, and an intelligence-led EMP
• Infrastructure controls – floors, drainage, walling, and building fabric that prevent the harbouring of bacteria

Critical Control of building fabric

Manufacturing facilities that treat the building fabric as a critical control measure, not merely a maintenance issue, achieve the greatest reduction in repeat positives and recalls.

The issue of Listeria

As poor flooring is the number one root cause of recurring Listeria, this White Paper, put together by experts at UK industrial flooring specialists Kemtile, examines the issue in detail.

Case studies of Listeria prevention

The White Paper also includes real life case studies of Listeria successfully tackled with expert comment and how we at Kemtile, together with Stonhard and global partners, are leading the fight against listeria in the fabric of food factories, with robust prevention the number one priority.

It is designed to help food safety and technical leaders, operations and engineering managers, hygiene teams, auditors and executive stakeholders across UK food manufacturing and supply chains to understand and meet the challenge.