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# The Importance of High-Quality Ingredients in Food Products
- URL: https://cibocom.ghost.io/the-importance-of-high-quality-ingredients-in-food-products/
- Published: 2015-01-27T01:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-08T14:54:50.000Z
- Author: Cibocom
- Tags: Royal Greenland, fish

The recent surge of listeriosis in Denmark, which has garnered significant media coverage across Europe, has highlighted the bacteria Listeria monocytogenes. This bacteria is naturally present in our environment, but usually not at harmful levels. Listeriosis is the disease caused by Listeria monocytogenes. It is typically acquired through the consumption of tainted food, particularly cheeses made from raw milk and ready-to-eat meat or seafood products, including cold-smoked fish. The recent surge has demonstrated that Listeria can also be found in cooked products where the bacteria have been introduced post-heat-treatment, such as during slicing or packaging. Symptoms of the disease often resemble those of the flu, including fever and muscle aches, usually preceded by diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms. Those most at risk include the elderly, newborns, and individuals with compromised immune systems. While the infection is typically not harmful to healthy individuals, it can cause a non-invasive illness. Listeriosis is treated with antibiotics, but it has a high fatality rate of approximately 20%. Listeria is ubiquitous in our environment and while most people consume contaminated foods occasionally, only a few develop listeriosis. In many instances, the level of listeria is too low to cause an infection. However, the bacteria can survive without oxygen and can grow at refrigerator temperatures, but is eliminated when heated to 72°C or more for at least 15 seconds. This makes it a risk in foods that have not been heat treated at high temperatures such as cheeses or cold smoked meats and fish. Since listeria is not a spoilage bacterium and is invisible and odorless, it can only be detected through laboratory analysis. While it is impossible to completely eradicate listeria as it is naturally present in our environment, for example in soil and waste water, consumers can take certain measures to avoid falling ill from it. These include maintaining good hygiene in their kitchens, adhering to best-before-dates, and ensuring that their refrigerators are set at the correct temperature. Food producers are responsible for minimizing the amount of listeria in their products. The key risk factors for food producers are control of their raw material supply and hygiene/cleaning in the production area. Royal Greenland's smokehouse operates under stringent HACCP procedures for handling and hygiene to minimize contamination risks. Additionally, samples from each batch are tested by the local quality department, and occasionally by the corporate quality department. External audits are conducted by the IFS and Danish Veterinary and Food Administration, who have confirmed that products from the Royal Greenland smokehouse will never contain listeria levels above the harmful levels during the product's shelf life. Furthermore, a study conducted by the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) in collaboration with Royal Greenland has shown that the addition of certain organic acids can inhibit listeria growth during a product's shelf life. This finding led the Danish Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries to issue a statement last year confirming that the level of listeria in Royal Greenland smoked and marinated products will not exceed 100 colony forming units per gram during the products' shelf lives.