What is Listeria and how do you prevent it?

 Listeriosis is a harmful bacterium that causes a foodborne illness. It's found in the environment - soil, water, decaying vegetation, and the intestinal tract of animals.

How can we prevent listeriosis? Consumers, especially at-risk consumers and those who take care of them should follow these simple steps to help prevent listeriosis:

·         Avoid foods containing unpasteurized milk

·         Always wash hands with warm water and soap at least20 seconds  before and after handling food and following the cleaning and sanitization process.

·         Clean refrigerators and other food preparation surfaces regularly and effectively. Wash the inside walls and shelves of the refrigerator, cutting boards and countertops; then sanitize them with a solution of one tablespoon of chlorine bleach to one gallon of hot water; and finally dry with a clean cloth or paper towel that has not been previously used.

·         Wipe up spills in the refrigerator immediately.

What is Listeria Monocytogenes?

It's a harmful bacterium that causes a foodborne illness called listeriosis. It's found in the environment – soil, water, decaying vegetation, and the intestinal tract of animals.

What happens when people get Listeriosis?

A person with listeriosis usually has fever and muscle aches. People who think they might have become sick with listeriosis should consult their doctor.

Listeriosis is relatively rare but can be fatal, especially in people at high risk for listeriosis: older adults; young children; people with compromised immune systems, such as cancer, diabetes, or HIV/AIDS patients; and pregnant women.  In pregnant women, listeriosis can cause miscarriage, stillbirth, and serious illness or death in newborn babies.

 What Causes Listeria in our Food?

If food is processed, packaged, or handled in unsanitary conditions, it can become contaminated with Listeria. This is of particular concern with ready-to-eat, refrigerated foods, such as luncheon meats and pates or meat spreads, because most of these are not reheated before eating – a step that would kill Listeria. In addition, unpasteurized milk and products made with unpasteurized milk can carry Listeria, as well as other dangerous bacteria, such as Salmonella and E. coli.

It’s very important to understand that, unlike most other foodborne bacteria, Listeria can grow at refrigerator temperatures. That means the longer foods contaminated with Listeria are stored in the refrigerator, the more opportunity Listeria have to multiply. What’s more, foods contaminated with Listeria can cross-contaminate surfaces they come into contact with – surfaces in the refrigerator and around the kitchen.

How can I prevent Listeriosis?

Consumers, especially at-risk consumers and those who take care of them, should follow these simple steps to help prevent listeriosis:

- Avoid foods containing unpasteurized milk:

Wash hands with warm water and soap for at least20 seconds before and after handling food.  Clean refrigerators and other food preparation surfaces regularly and effectively. Wash the inside walls and shelves of the refrigerator, cutting boards and countertops; then sanitize them with a solution of one tablespoon of chlorine bleach to one gallon of hot water; and finally dry with a clean cloth or paper towel that has not been previously used.

- Always wash hands with warm water and soap following the cleaning and sanitization process.

- Wipe up spills in the refrigerator immediately.

Listeria is the name of a bacteria found in soil and water and some animals, including poultry and cattle. It can be present in raw milk and foods made from raw milk. It can also live in food processing plants and contaminate a variety of processed meats .

prevention : 

• Do not drink raw (unpasteurized) milk, and do not eat foods that have unpasteurized milk in them.
• Wash hands, knives, countertops, and cutting boards after handling and preparing uncooked foods.
• Rinse raw produce thoroughly under running tap water before eating.
• Keep uncooked meats, poultry, and seafood separate from vegetables, fruits, cooked foods, and ready-to-eat foods.
• Thoroughly cook raw food from animal sources, such as meat, poultry, or seafood to a safe internal temperature.
• Wash hands, knives, countertops, and cutting boards after handling and preparing uncooked foods.
• Consume perishable and ready-to-eat foods as soon as possible.
• Persons in higher risk groups should heat hot dogs, cold cuts, and deli meats before eating them

Bacteria

Listeria is an important food pathogen; the common species is Listeria monocytogenes. It is a pathogenic bacteria which can infect through improperly cooked foods maily meat items, also found to be present in bird droppings. It causes the fatal illness Listeriosis characterised by high fever, febrile illness, shivering etc. Like most of the food pathogens, it can be prevented by applying Aseptic Techniques in handling of food, application of High Temperature in processing of foods etc.