## 1 Introduction  
Milk and products made from it have been a dietary staple around the world for centuries. Dairy consumption is recommended as a component of healthy eating patterns among all age groups [1]. In recent years, consumer interest in healthy and functional foods has been growing. As a result, there has been an increase in the consumption of fermented dairy beverages among consumers in different age groups. However, consumption patterns vary from country to country [1, 2]. Yoghurt is currently one of the most popular dairy products and also the most versatile meal, because it provides more nutrients than milk [3]. Yoghurt is a beverage made from standardized milk, concentrated by the addition of milk powder or evaporation of part of the water, pasteurized and soured with pure starter cultures (_Lactobacillus delbrueckii_ subsp. _bulgarcius_ and _Streptocous thermophilus_) [2]. Other species of the genus _Lactobacillus_, _L. panasex_ subsp. _paracasei_ and subsp. _tolerans_, and _L. rhamnus_, are increasingly used in yoghurt production [4]. In order to meet the National Yoghurt Association criteria, the final yoghurt product must contain live lactic acid bacteria (LAB) at a level of \(\geq\)10\({}^{8}\) CFU (colony forming unit)/g at the time of manufacture, and the cultures must remain viable until the end of the declared shelf life [3]. Yoghurt has many nutritional and therapeutic properties and can be a suitable carrier for probiotic bacteria (mainly from the _Bifidobacterium_ and _Lactobacillus_ genera) [5; 6; 7; 8; 9]. LAB are characterized by their ability to acidify the intestinal environment and produce antibacterial substances (mainly bacteriocin), which affects the elimination of pathogenic microorganisms in the human colon. Bioactive substances influence the immune system by modulating the gut microbiota [5; 9; 10; 11]. The consumption of fermented dairy beverages, including yoghurt, is recommended to help rebuild the imbalance of the intestinal microbiota (caused, among other things, by stress or antibiotic therapy) [4], which also has a direct effect on the central nervous system by modulating the concentration of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines, affects the tryptophan content (a precursor of serotonin), the production of numerous neurop mediators and the expression of their receptors in the brain [12]. Fermented dairy products may be used in the therapeutic management of diarrhea [13]. [PERSON] et al. [7] showed that yoghurt consumption was associated with lower body weight and body mass index (BMI), helping reduce obesity among adults. In turn, [PERSON] et al. [14] pointed to the therapeutic potential of probiotic bacterial strains isolated from dairy products in preventing oral cancer cell proliferation and improving survival rates in oral cancer patients. The consumption of yoghurt is associated with a number of health-promoting benefits for the consumer. Food safety, and thus consumer safety, is key to maintaining proper health. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) [15], 600 million people (nearly 1 in 10 people worldwide) get sick and 420,000 die each year after consuming contaminated food. The presence of foodborne pathogens in food poses a challenge for food manufacturers and distributors to ensure the protection of public health [16; 17; 18]. According to a report by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) on trends and sources of food outbreaks in 2022, the most commonly reported gastrointestinal bacterial pathogen in the European Union was _Campylobacter_ spp., _Salmonella_ spp. and _Listeria monocytogenes_[19]. In 2022, campylobacteriosis, samonellosis and Listeriosis were reported among 137,107, 65,208 and 2738 cases, respectively [19]. There has been an increase in the incidence of the disease compared to 2021, demonstrating the need to monitor these microorganisms in food [19]. Listeriosis is particularly dangerous for the elderly and pregnant women (low incidence but high mortality) [20]. The main sources of _L.