Specific and Rapid Quantification of Viable Listeria monocytogenes Using Fluorescence in situ Hybridization in Combination with Filter Cultivation

Abstract

We developed a new method that rapidly and specifically enumerates only viable Listeria monocytogenes in food using fluorescence in situ hybridization in combination with filter cultivation (FISHFC). Viable L. monocytogenes could be specifically quantified within 16 h using an Alexa647-labeled mRL-2 probe. The coefficient of the correlation between the new method and the conventional plating method was 0.959.