Listeria monocytogenes in vacuum packaged cheese

Hello everyone.

 

I'm currently QA/QC Director in the retail sector. Recently, local Public Health Department Deputies took samples of vacuum packaged cheese as part or their food inspection and surveillance programme. Those samples were sent to microbiological analysis at a local certified lab.

 

I was surprised as I started reading... Suddenly I read Listeria monocytogenes - Positive Test in 1 out of 6 samples...

 

This is my first time dealing with this non-conformance and I almost immediately contacted the supplier and requested all traceability records for the lot's raw materials and finished product, HACCP and production log sheets, batch-records, microbiological testing of al least 3 subsequent lots at external independent lab (which I chose), cause-analysis and action plan. 

 

The supplier's lot quality certificate declares no presence of the pathogen according to their sampling procedure and plan (was also submitted from external lab). 

 

It would be great to listen to some comments and get some advice from you. I'm aware that prevalence of pathogens in food may be a bit confusing since they can be found in just a few units of the same batch i.e., we can not say that the whole batch has been compromised.

 

No recall plan has been activated to date as we are expecting the microbiological verification tests.

 

Best raegards!