A Listeria monocytogenes mutant lacking the gene lmo1013, which encodes for a small mechanosensitive channel was obtained.

Second report on the project work was sent to UEFISCDI.

Suplimentary information was added to the file created for obtaining the authorization to import vectors from the German partner (University of Ulm) for generating the Listeria monocytogenes mutant.

Manuscript accepted for publication.

We were announced that our manuscript “Resistance of Listeria monocytogenes to stress conditions encountered in food and food processing environments” was accepted for publication in Frontiers in Microbiology, section Microbial Physiology and Metabolism, Microbial stress: From Sensing to Intracellular and Population.

UGAL team started to create a file describing the vectors needed for gene transfer in Listeria monocytogenes and sent it to the National Agency for Environmental Protection (ANPM) to obtain an import authorization for them.

Manuscript revised.

Reviewers of the manuscript sent to Frontiers in Microbiology asked for its moderate revision. Following this decision, the manuscript was improved by its authors and resubmitted with the title “Resistance of Listeria monocytogenes to stress conditions encountered in food and food processing environments”.

UGAL team started to work to obtain Listeria monocytogenes electrocompetent cells in order to generate mutants.

Manuscript submitted to publication.

A manuscript entitled “Resistance of Listeria monocytogenes to stress conditions encountered during food production and preservation” was submitted on the 31^st of July 2018 to Frontiers in Microbiology, section Microbial Physiology and Metabolism, Microbial stress: From Sensing to Intracellular and Population.

Florentina Bucur visited the Institute of Microbiology and Biotechnology from the Universityof Ulm, Germany, to continue her last year work for obtaining a L. monocytogenes mutant susceptible to high pressure treatment.

UGAL team prepared a progression report of the SafeFood activities that was sent to the project coordinator, the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), to be included in the 1.5 years status report.

UGAL team together with UULM team started to work on a manuscript regarding the mechanisms used by Listeria monocytogenes to resist in stress conditions encountered in food.

Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy was applied as new method to study L. monocytogenes subjected to HPP.

Dr. Teresa Gonçalves Ribeiro, member of the Portuguese team, and UGAL team studied L. monocytogenes RO15 and Scott A cells after subjection to different treatments at high pressure by using Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) method. Spectra characterizing the changes that occurred at the compositional level of L. monocytogenes cells as consequence of high pressure treatments were obtained and interpreted by the Portuguese member.