Food Contamination – Listeria Facts – What to do

Hi Everyone,

     I just wanted to touch on Health Issues with food, processing, & what to watch out for during this week.  There are A LOT of Contaminated Foods  out there so I’ll cover as many as I can that the USDA has released to date. 

1. Listeria – What to do

toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854) is available in English and Spanish and can be reached from l0 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Eastern Time) Monday through Friday.

Consumption of food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes can cause listeriosis, an uncommon but potentially serious disease.  The most common manifestation of listeriosis is meningitis, which has symptoms of high fever, severe headache, neck stiffness and nausea.  Listeriosis can also cause miscarriages and stillbirths, as well as serious and sometimes fatal infections to infants, the elderly and those with weakened immune systems such as persons with chronic diseases or taking chemotherapy for cancer.

Sources	Ready-to-eat deli meats and hot dogs Refrigerated pâtés or meat spreads Unpasteurized (raw) milk and dairy products Soft cheese made with unpasteurized milk, such as queso fresco, Feta, Brie, Camembert Refrigerated smoked seafood Raw sprouts
Incubation Period	3-70 days
Symptoms	Fever, stiff neck, confusion, weakness, vomiting, sometimes preceded by diarrhea
Duration of Illness	Days to weeks
Who’s at Risk?	Older adults Pregnant women People with weakened immune systems Organ transplant patients who are receiving drugs to prevent the body from rejecting the organ People with certain diseases, such as: HIV/AIDS or other autoimmune diseases Cancer End-stage renal disease Liver disease Alcoholism Diabetes
What Do I Do?	If you are very ill with fever or stiff neck, consult your doctor immediately. Antibiotics given promptly can cure the infection and, in pregnant women, can prevent infection of the fetus.
How Do I Prevent It?	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.