Traditional meat and dairy products are widely consumed in Kosovo, but information on their microbiological safety, particularly regarding coagulase-positive staphylococci and Staphylococcus aureus, remains limited. This study evaluated the occurrence and levels of coagulase-positive staphylococci in 212 samples of six traditional products: suxhuk, salsiҫe, kremviҫe, gjiza, paprika in cream, and soft cheese. Enumeration was performed according to ISO 6888-1:2021, followed by species-level identification using MALDI-TOF MS and additional phenotypic confirmation. Statistical analyses explored associations between contamination levels and technological treatment, storage conditions, pH, water activity, packaging, and intended mode of consumption. Overall, 105 of the 212 samples were positive for coagulase-positive staphylococci, of which 47 were confirmed as S. aureus. Contamination levels varied considerably among product groups, with the lowest levels observed in commercially heat-treated kremviҫe and higher levels in non-standardized products. A study-specific semi-quantitative risk characterization identified salsiҫe, gjiza, paprika in cream, and soft cheese as having comparatively higher risk profiles. The findings indicate that inadequate process control, inappropriate storage, and limited labeling may contribute to staphylococcal contamination in traditional foods and highlight the need for improved hygienic practices, standardized processing, and strengthened microbiological monitoring.

Listeria spp. can persist in livestock-production environments and may be introduced through animal feed, fecal contamination, or unhygienic milk-production practices. This cross-sectional study assessed the occurrence and distribution of Listeria spp. in animal feed, fecal material, and raw milk collected from cattle, sheep, and goat farms across the seven geographical regions of Kosovo. Between December 2021 and April 2022, 189 samples were collected from 60 distinct farms representing 63 farm-species units. One animal-feed sample, one pooled fecal sample, and one pooled raw-milk sample were obtained from each unit. The samples were analyzed according to ISO 11290-1:2017, and presumptive isolates were evaluated by phenotypic and biochemical tests and confirmed to species level using MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. Water activity was also measured in all 63 feed samples. Listeria spp. was detected in 3/189 matrix-level samples analyzed (1.6%). This value represents a descriptive sample-level detection proportion across the three matrices rather than a conventional prevalence estimate. All isolates were identified as Listeria innocua. Two positive samples were hay samples from separate farms in the Gjilan region, representing 2/63 feed samples (3.2%) and 2/24 hay samples (8.3%). The third positive sample was a fecal sample collected from a goat farm in the Gjakova region, representing 1/63 fecal samples (1.6%). Listeria spp. was not detected in any of the raw-milk samples (0/63; 0%) under the conditions of this cross-sectional study. No farm-level co-occurrence among feed, fecal material, and raw milk was observed. These findings indicate a low number of Listeria spp. detections among the samples analyzed, with positive samples limited to two hay samples and one fecal sample. Given the small number of positive samples, no conclusions can be drawn regarding differences among feed categories, animal species, sample matrices, or geographical regions. Continued attention to feed storage, farm hygiene, and milk production practices remains important for limiting the persistence and dissemination of Listeria within ruminant-production environments.