Buffered Listeria Enrichment Broth Base is used with supplements for selective enrichment of Listeria spp. in foods and is not intended for use in the diagnosis of human disease.
Listeria monocytogenes, described first in 1926 by Murray, Webb, and Swann, is an extensive problem in public health and food industries. This organism has the ability to cause human illness and death, particularly in immunocompromised individuals and pregnant women. Epidemiological evidence from outbreaks of listeriosis has indicated that the principle route of transmission is via consumption of foodstuffs contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. Implicated vehicles of transmission include turkey, frankfurters, coleslaw, pasteurized milk, Mexican style cheese, and pate.
Buffered Listeria Enrichment Broth, a modification of the formula by Lovett et al. was developed after research concluded that enrichment properties can be improved by increasing the buffering capacity of the medium with the addition of disodium phosphate. BLEB Base is based upon the FDA/BAM recommendations where the medium is supplemented with selective agents after an initial four hour, non-selective, pre-enrichment.
