Chicken broth-based extracellular metabolomics reveals phase-dependent metabolic shifts of Listeria monocytogenes under refrigeration.

This study characterized phase-associated extracellular metabolite dynamics of Listeria monocytogenes during refrigerated growth (8 °C) in a chicken meat-derived broth (CMB). Extracellular metabolites were measured by NMR for three strains (NCCP 15743, NCCP 16594, and ATCC 19111), followed by metabolite- and pathway-level analyses. During the logarithmic phase, depletion of serine, glycine, and glutamine together with decreases in IMP and UMP was consistent with increased demand for one‑carbon units and nucleotide precursor metabolism during active growth. In the stationary phase, depletion of glucose and glucose-6-phosphate accompanied by accumulation of formate, ethanol, and acetate, along with purine-related metabolites, was consistent with increased formation of fermentation end products and altered nucleotide turnover under growth limitation. Across strains, extracellular metabolite trajectories aligned with logarithmic-to-stationary transitions, supporting phase-associated shifts in extracellular metabolic signatures under a poultry-relevant, food-derived nutrient context. These results show that phase-resolved extracellular metabolite patterns can be characterized in a chicken meat-derived environment and provide a basis for developing extracellular markers and interpretive frameworks that may inform monitoring and control of L. monocytogenes during chilled storage.