INNEO Approved as Processing Aid to Control Listeria in Red Meat and Poultry

QUÉBEC — Innodal, a developer of natural food safety solutions based on antimicrobial compounds derived from probiotic strains, announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA FSIS) issued a No Objection Letter (NOL) confirming the acceptability of INNEO as a processing aid to control Listeria monocytogenes in red meat and poultry products.

This determination allows U.S. meat and poultry processors to use INNEO both as a surface treatment and directly within the food matrix of comminuted products. USDA FSIS confirmed it has no objection to the intended uses of INNEO as an antimicrobial intervention when applied on product surfaces or mixed into ready-to-eat formulations, enabling full regulatory compliance within FSIS-regulated establishments.

INNEO is a natural antimicrobial processing aid based on a bacteriocin, a class of peptides recognized for their targeted activity against Listeria monocytogenes, said Innodal. The technology previously received GRAS status from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (USDA), and the NOL provides the final regulatory clarity required for deployment across red meat and poultry applications, including surface applications and in-product applications where INNEO is mixed directly into comminuted ready-to-eat meat and poultry.

Already commercialized in Canada, INNEO offers U.S. processors a clean-label alternative to conventional antimicrobials, said Innodal. Industry trials have demonstrated strong efficacy against L. monocytogenes while preserving product quality attributes such as taste, texture and appearance, according to the company.

By enabling both surface and internal applications, INNEO provides processors with flexibility to design Listeria control strategies tailored to their specific processes, said Innodal. As a recognized processing aid, INNEO can be implemented without ingredient labeling changes, simplifying operations and supporting recall prevention efforts, said the company.

“This No Objection Letter from USDA-FSIS is a major milestone for INNEO,” said Laurent Dallaire, CEO and cofounder of Innodal. “It confirms that processors can confidently use our bacteriocin-based technology not only on product surfaces, but also directly within comminuted meat and poultry products. Combined with FDA GRAS status, this decision provides clear regulatory confidence and unlocks meaningful opportunities to strengthen Listeria control across the U.S. meat and poultry industry.”