Listeria species in raw and ready-to-eat foods from restaurants

From September 1999 to March 2000, meat (pork, beef, and chicken), fish (salmon, hake, and sole), vegetable (lettuce and spinach), and Spanish potato omelette samples obtained at restaurants were collected and tested for the occurrence of Listeria spp. Listeria monocytogenes was isolated from 3 (2.9%) out of 103 studied samples. Other species isolated were Listeria grayi (13.6%). Listeria innocua (1.9%), Listeria ivanovii (5.8%), Listeria seeligeri (3.9%), and Listeria welshimeri (1.9%). Listeria was neither isolated from beef nor any type of fish.