o:8645 Zero-tolerance Listeria in EU: preparing for the stricter controls en From July 1, 2026, significant amendments to Regulation (EC) No. 2073/2005 will come into effect, tightening microbiological criteria for food safety, particularly concerning Listeria monocytogenes. The revision, introduced through Regulation (EU) 2024/2895, re- sponds to both a rise in listeriosis incidence across Europe between 2019 and 2023 and an identified legal loophole that allowed uneven enforcement among Member States. The updated framework extends responsibility across the entire food supply chain, holding all food business operators-from producers to retailers-accountable for compliance. Ready-to- eat foods must either demonstrate absence of L. monocytogenes in a 25 g sample or provide scientific evidence that levels of this pathogen remain below 100 CFU/g throughout the product’s shelf life. The rising burden of listeriosis, with EU-confirmed cases and fatalities increasing stead- ily, underscores the urgency of these measures. Vulnerable populations, particularly the el- derly, remain at greatest risk, while the prevalence of L. monocytogenes in fish, fishery, and meat products highlights the need for strengthened controls. Key regulatory changes include stricter environmental monitoring, comprehensive shelf-life and challenge testing, and expanded obligations covering storage, distribution, and retail. Compliance will require enhanced HACCP programs, increased testing capacity, staff training, and systematic docu- mentation, with substantial financial and operational implications for the food industry. Adaptation strategies center on predictive microbiology and challenge testing, guided by ISO 20976-1:2019 and the EURL Lm Technical Guidance Document, ensuring reproduc- ibility and scientific robustness. Ultimately, these reforms aim to reduce consumer exposure and improve food safety outcomes, albeit with anticipated costs, product reformulations, and market adjustments. Listeria monocytogenes, Environmental monitoring, Food safety, Challenge test 1552099 2025-12-09T08:32:16.130Z 44 yes 46 Branko Velebit Institute of Meat Hygiene and Technology, Kaćanskog 13, 11040 Belgrade, Serbia Zero-tolerance Listeria in EU: preparing for the stricter controls https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7577-8074 Lazar Milojević Institute of Meat Hygiene and Technology, Kaćanskog 13, 11040 Belgrade, Serbia Zero-tolerance Listeria in EU: preparing for the stricter controls person https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6901-6033 Vesna V. Janković Institute of Meat Hygiene and Technology, Kaćanskog 13, 11040 Belgrade, Serbia Zero-tolerance Listeria in EU: preparing for the stricter controls person https://orcid.org/0009-0003-0095-1498 Brankica Lakićević Institute of Meat Hygiene and Technology, Kaćanskog 13, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia Zero-tolerance Listeria in EU: preparing for the stricter controls person https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0175-5830 Radmila Mitrović Institute of Meat Hygiene and Technology, Kaćanskog 13, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia Zero-tolerance Listeria in EU: preparing for the stricter controls person https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2912-2784 Dunja Mišić Institute of Meat Hygiene and Technology, Kaćanskog 13, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia Zero-tolerance Listeria in EU: preparing for the stricter controls person https://orcid.org/0009-0006-2213-2612 Tatjana Baltić Institute of Meat Hygiene and Technology, Kaćanskog 13, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia Zero-tolerance Listeria in EU: preparing for the stricter controls person application/pdf 421164 https://unilib.phaidrabg.rs/o:8645 no yes 16 70 92000002 71A01 Meat technology - Special Issue 66/3 2025 1-576 66 3 423 425 Kaćanskog 13, 11 000 Belgrade Institute of Meat Hygiene and Technology 2025-12-01 www.journalmeattechnology.com