Listeria compliance shifts shelf-life validation to the centre of meat hygiene

Hygiene is again at the centre of the meat industry’s technical agenda because new obligations for Listeria monocytogenes in certain ready-to-eat foods have applied since 1 July 2026. The Forum der Fleischwirtschaft, taking place in Quakenbrück on 1 and 2 September, places this topic at the heart of its programme. The practical issue is proving product safety throughout shelf life, not merely at the point of production.