Ten-Year Surveillance of Listeria monocytogenes in Traditional Dry-Cured and Fermented Meat Products of Montenegro

Listeria monocytogenes is a leading cause of foodborne mortality in the European Union, with ready-to-eat (RTE) meat products representing a primary transmission vehicle. Traditional dry-cured and fermented meat products, produced under small-scale artisanal conditions, present particular microbiological challenges, yet systematic surveillance data from the Western Balkans remain limited. Microbiological testing results for L. monocytogenes in traditional Montenegrin meat products were extracted from the national food control monitoring system over the period 2016–2025. A total of 2471 samples from 58 product varieties were analysed using EN ISO 11290-1/2 standards. Prevalence was estimated with 95% confidence intervals; differences between product categories were assessed by Pearson chi-square with Bonferroni-corrected pairwise comparisons, and temporal trends by the Cochran–Armitage test. The overall prevalence was 6.6%, ranging from 0.5% (2017) to 14.7% (2024). Dry-fermented sausages (kobasica; 17.2%) and cured belly (pančeta; 9.9%) showed significantly higher prevalence than whole-muscle products (pršut 3.8%; pečenica 1.5%; p < 0.001). Njeguška kobasica and its vacuum-packed variant recorded the highest individual prevalence (30.1% and 47.6%, respectively). No significant monotonic trend was detected over the surveillance period (Z = 0.801, p = 0.423). Prevalence estimates varied considerably across years without evidence of a monotonic trend, supporting the need for a regulatory shift toward production-environment monitoring and integration of whole-genome surveillance in the traditional meat sector.