Prevalence and Characterization of Listeria Species in Meat and Meat Products Sold in Retail Markets in Jimma Town, Ethiopia

Listeria monocytogenes remains a critical public health threat globally due to its ability to survive under adverse conditions and its strong association with contaminated food, particularly meat and meat-based products. This study was conducted to determine the prevalence and characterize Listeria species isolated from various meat products available in retail markets of Jimma Town, southwestern Ethiopia. A cross-sectional study design was employed, involving the collection of 175 samples—including raw minced meat, lightly cooked (dulet), fried meat, chicken, burgers, refrigerated and fried fish—from 25 selected food service outlets. ISO 11290-1:2017 microbiological standards conducted sample processing, isolation, and identification of Listeria species. The results indicated that 29.7% of the analyzed samples were contaminated with Listeria spp. Notably, dulet samples exhibited the highest contamination rate (34.6%), followed by raw minced meat (23.1%) and chicken (19.2%). Upon species-level characterization, L. innocua emerged as the most frequently detected species (53.9%), followed by L. monocytogenes (23.1%), L. welshimeri (11.5%), and L. seeligeri (11.5%). The detection of L. monocytogenes, a well-documented foodborne pathogen capable of causing listeriosis, presents a substantial risk to public health, especially in ready-to-eat and undercooked meat products. These findings underscore the urgent need for rigorous sanitary practices in food preparation environments, targeted regulatory enforcement, and public awareness campaigns focusing on safe meat handling and storage. Strengthening food safety monitoring systems and educating food vendors and consumers alike is critical to reducing microbial risks and ensuring the protection of public health in urban food markets.