The foodborne pathogen Listeria monocytogenes is a concern in food safety because of its ability to form biofilm and to persist in food industry. In this mini-review, the issue represented by this pathogen and some of the latest efforts performed in order to investigate the composition of biofilms formed by L. monocytogenes are summarized.

Listeria monocytogenes is a foodborne pathogen able to persist in food industry and is responsible for a severe illness called listeriosis. The ability of L. monocytogenes to persist in environments is due to its capacity to form biofilms that are a sessile community of microorganisms embedded in a self-produced matrix of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS’s). In this review, we summarized recent efforts performed in order to better characterize the polymeric substances that compose the extracellular matrix (ECM) of L. monocytogenes biofilms. EPS extraction and analysis led to the identification of polysaccharides, proteins, extracellular DNA, and other molecules within the listerial ECM. All this knowledge will be useful for increasing food protection, suggesting effective strategies for the minimization of persistence of L. monocytogenes in food industry environments.

Staphylococcal food poisoningcaused by certain enterotoxigenic staphylococciis one of the most common worldwide foodborne diseases. In this context, bacterial biofilms on food processing plan surfaces can represent critical sources of contamination, being more resistant to cleaning and disinfection procedures. Therefore, it is important to prevent and control biofilm formation in food facilities. In the last years, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have emerged as promising biofilm contrasting tools. The recently developed AMP, named 1018-K6, revealed a significant bactericidal (MBC 10 μM) and biofilm-preventing efficiency (MBIC 50 μM) against a reference ATCC strain of Listeria monocytogenes and remarkable stability under different environmental conditions. In this work, a kinetic of action of 1018-K6 against two strong biofilm-producing reference strains of Staphylococcus aureus (including a methicillin-resistant S. aureus strain) and a moderate biofilm producer enterotoxigenic S. aureus isolated from cheese, was performed. The peptide showed an impressive rapid mode of action, eradicating established biofilms within few minutes. Bactericidal activity against planktonic cells and inhibition of biofilm formation were also observed. The significant properties of 1018-K6 make it a promising candidate for applications in food-safety and quality control.

In this study, some assayed isolates of food-related MRSA demonstrated the capacity to form biofilm. Biofilm formation differed according to surface characteristics and MRSA strains. A relationship was observed between some molecular characteristics and the ability to form biofilms. Few studies have investigated the ability of MRSA to form biofilms, and the majority of these studies have investigated clinical aspects. This work was performed to investigate whether or not there is a difference between MRSA food isolates and MRSA clinical isolates in their ability to form biofilm. These initial findings could provide information that will contribute to a better understanding of these aspects.

The conclusions of the EFSA following the peer review of the initial risk assessments carried out by the competent authorities of the rapporteur Member State, Italy, and co‐rapporteur Member State, France, for the pesticide active substance oxamyl and the assessment of applications for maximum residue levels (MRLs) are reported. The context of the peer review was that required by Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 844/2012, as amended by Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 2018/1659. The conclusions were reached on the basis of the evaluation of the representative uses of oxamyl as a nematicide on potato and tobacco (field use), on tomato (permanent greenhouse), on cucurbits (edible and inedible peel), pepper, aubergine and plants nurseries of the above‐mentioned crops on soil bed preparation (permanent greenhouse). The reliable end points, appropriate for use in regulatory risk assessment and the proposed MRLs, are presented. Missing information identified as being required by the regulatory framework is listed. Concerns are identified.