**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** LISTERIA MONOCYTOGENES IS A MAJOR FOODBORNE PATHOGEN THAT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR NEARLY ONE-THIRD OF ALL BACTERIAL FOODBORNE DEATHS IN THE UNITED STATES. DUE TO THE WIDESPREAD DISTRIBUTION OF L. MONOCYTOGENES IN THE ENVIRONMENT AND ITS ABILITY TO SURVIVE IN HARSH CONDITIONS, IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO ELIMINATE THE PATHOGEN FROM FOOD PRODUCTS AND PREVENT HUMAN INFECTIONS. ANTIBIOTICS ARE EFFECTIVE IN CONTROLLING THE INFECTIONS IN HUMANS, HOWEVER, THERE ARE SEVERAL REPORTS OF ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE DEVELOPMENT IN L. MONOCYTOGENES. THEREFORE, THERE IS A NEED FOR DEVELOPING NOVEL DIETARY STRATEGIES THAT CAN REDUCE L. MONOCYTOGENES INFECTION IN HUMANS. SEVERAL IN-VITRO INVESTIGATIONS FROM OUR GROUP AND OTHERS HAVE SHOWN THE EFFICACY OF PHYTOCHEMICALS IN REDUCING VIRULENCE ATTRIBUTES OF L. MONOCYTOGENES. HOWEVER, THE RESEARCH IN THE LAST DECADE HAS NOT MOVED FORWARD TO VALIDATE EFFICACY IN AN ANIMAL MODEL FOR FUTURE HUMAN APPLICATION.THIS PROJECT, USING A GUINEA PIG MODEL OF INFECTION,WILL DEVELOPPHYTOCHEMICAL BASED DIETARY STRATEGIES TO REDUCE THE RISK OF L. MONOCYTOGENES INFECTIONS IN HUMANS. THE PHYTOCHEMICALS THAT WILL BE INVESTIGATED FOR THEIR ANTI-LISTERIAL EFFICACY ARE TRANS-CINNAMALDEHYDE (OBTAINED FROM CINNAMON BARK), CARVACROL (OBTAINED FROM OREGANO OIL) AND EUGENOL (EXTRACTED FROM CLOVES). ALL THE AFOREMENTIONED ESSENTIAL OILS ARE GRAS STATUS COMPOUNDS THAT HAVE BEEN APPROVED FOR ADDITION IN FOOD PRODUCTS.