Listericidal Novel Processing Technological Approaches for the Safety of Milk and Dairy Products: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Listeria monocytogenes is a major public health concern in milk and ready-to-eat dairy products. To meet consumer demand for fresher, minimally processed foods with high nutritional and sensory quality, several non-thermal technologies are being explored as alternatives to conventional heat treatments. This systematic review (2020–2025), following PRISMA guidelines, examines recent applications of selected non-thermal technologies to control Listeria in milk and dairy matrices. Peer-reviewed studies available in full-text, in English or Spanish, focusing on applications at laboratory or pilot plant scales, with milk or dairy produced onsite or purchased, containing Listeria sp., were included. Studies with applications to plant-based or non-dairy products or those not inoculated with Listeria, were excluded. Conference abstracts, corrections, editorials, letters, news, and scientific opinions were excluded as well. The databases searched were Web of Science, Scopus, and ProQuest, which were last consulted in April 2025. Given the naturality of the review, the risk of bias was assessed through independent screening by two of the researchers, focusing on clear objectives, analytical validity, statistical analysis, and methodology. The results are presented in tabulated format. Of the 157 records identified, 22 were included in this review. Seven of the records reported hurdle technologies, while fifteen reported single technology applications, with high-pressure processing being the most frequent. Limitations observed are primarily the use of unreported strains, a lack of information regarding the initial load of inoculum, and expected log reductions. The equipment used is mostly at the laboratory scale, except for HPP. Non-thermal technologies present a promising option for the control of Listeria in dairy products. The basic principles of GMP, HACCP, and cold-chain control in dairy processing are of special importance in safety assurance. This research was funded by Vicerrectoría de Investigación, Universidad de Costa Rica, grant number 735-C3-460.