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Listeria monocytogenes is a foodborne pathogen which has high resistance for unfavorable conditions. This pathogen is able to entering Viable but non culturable (VBNC) state in harsh conditions. The present study was aimed to consider the possibility of entering this pathogen in to VBNC state in heavy brine which used for produce brined fish. For this purpose L. monocytogenesat 1.12×10⁷ initial concentration as monitored in three treatments during 8 days: brine containing 30% salt (ES30), brine containing 10% salt (ES10) and starvation condition (DE).  For considering alive cells method of gene expression of 16S rRNAby RT-PCR was used. The obtained results showed that this pathogen in ES30 and DE treatments after three days enter in to VBNC state. According to obtained results ES10 treatment entering in to VBNC state on 5 days after inoculation. The results showed that there is the possibility of L. monocytogenes entering in to VBNC state, during brined and smoked fish or every other brined food product and defect of Standard detection methods. 

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The consumption of different kinds of fish has been increasing in Iran, during the recent decade. Therefore, high microbial content and contamination of such food with pathogen bacteria can cause infection or food poisoning. The objective of this study is investigation of salted fish bacteriologic quality that is produced traditionally in one of the North states of Iran (Guilan). 72 fish samples from two species of Rutilus frisi kutum and Mugil auratus were collected, immediately after traditionally salting and their total count of aerobic and coli form bacteria and contamination to E.coli and vibrio parahaemoliticus were investigated due to standard APHA method. The total number of aerobic bacteria differs from 5×10⁵ to 1×10³ cfu/g and the mean numbers were 3.2×10³ cfu/g  for Mugil auratus and 5.4×10⁵ cfu/gfor Rutilus frisi kutum . 11.1 percent of the samples were contaminated with coliform bacteria with mean number of 2×10² cfu/g but no contamination with E.coli was confirmed. Moreover, in 57 samples (79.16%) contamination with vibrio parahaemoliticus was observed that were comprised 26 samples (45.6%) of Mugil auratus fish and 31 samples (54.3%) of Rutilus frisi kutum . In conclusion, the results of this study and the similar ones in other countries demonstrated that there is the possibility of seafood products poisoning with pathogen bacteria. Therefore, health training, improvement of processing, avoiding raw consumption and finally, regular controlling of health care managers can be effective in prevention of infectious diseases and food poisoning following consumption of these products.