What you can do to reduce the chances of your food being infected with listeria.
Listeria monocytogenes (listeria) is a bacterium that causes an illness called listeriosis. Cases of foodborne illness from listeria are rare, but can involve serious symptoms and even death in certain groups of people.
These include:
- people with weakened immune systems, such as those suffering from cancer
- pregnant women and their unborn babies
- newborn babies
- elderly people
It’s important to:
-
- keep raw and ready-to-eat foods separate to avoid cross -contamination
- wash fruit and vegetables thoroughly
- keep chilled ready-to-eat foods cold – make sure your fridge is working properly and is set to 5⁰C or below
- always use foods by their use-by date
- follow the storage instructions on the label and use opened foods within two days unless instructions on the packaging say otherwise
- ready-to-eat food must be eaten within four hours of being taken out of the fridge
- cook or reheat foods until they are piping hot right through
- ensure that you follow manufacturer’s instructions in the preparation of all foods
The types of food listeria can be found in
Listeria is widespread in the environment and can contaminate a wide range of foods. It is of most concern in chilled ready-to-eat foods that do not require further cooking or reheating, such as:
- cooked sliced meats
- cured meats
- smoked fish
- cooked shellfish
- mould-ripened soft cheeses
- pate
- pre-prepared sandwiches and salads