Deli meats sliced at the deli counter should be consumed within 2 days
The grocery store is my laboratory -- or at least part of it.
I often find myself loitering around the deli counter, watching people order pound after pound of sliced roast beef or shaved turkey breast.
At one point a few years ago, I began chatting with one of the customers and politely commented that was a lot of deli meat she was ordering (really, there was a polite context).
She replied it was sandwiches for the kids for the next two weeks.
Uugh.
Yesterday, the Liverpool Daily Post reported U.K. environmental health officers from 42 local authorities purchased 1,127 samples of sliced-at-the-counter cooked meats from food retailers including butchers, delicatessens, market stalls and supermarkets.
Laboratory tests found that 15 per cent of the samples were contaminated with low numbers of listeria on the day of purchase, while 7.3 per cent were contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, the more serious form of listeria.
Although these were within European Food Safety Standards, when the contaminated samples were tested again after storage for 48 hours in a refrigerator, the L. monocytogenes in some of the contaminated samples had multiplied to unsafe levels.
The tests were carried out at a fridge temperature of six degrees centigrade. However, many domestic fridges are warmer than this, allowing L. monocytogenes to grow faster.
Hugh Lamont, communications manager for the Health Protection Agency North West, said
“We are anxious to ensure that we do not create a scare around freshly sliced cooked meats. We are not saying that people should not buy or eat them, but rather that they should follow ‘use by’ advice where it is given – and consume the products within 48 hours where it is not. We are also reminding food retailers of the advice they should give to customers.”
.jpg)
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control recommendations for persons at high risk from listeria, such as pregnant women and persons with weakened immune systems, includes:
-Do not eat hot dogs, luncheon meats, or deli meats, unless they are reheated until steaming hot
-Avoid getting fluid from hot dog packages on other foods, utensils, and food preparation surfaces, and wash hands after handling hot dogs, luncheon meats, and deli meats
-Do not eat soft cheeses such as feta, Brie, and Camembert, blue-veined cheeses, or Mexican-style cheeses such as queso blanco, queso fresco, and Panela, unless they have labels that clearly state they are made from pastuerized milk
-Do not eat refrigerated pâtés or meat spreads. Canned or shelf-stable pâtés and meat spreads may be eaten
-Do not eat refrigerated smoked seafood, unless it is contained in a cooked dish, such as a casserole. Refrigerated smoked seafood, such as salmon, trout, whitefish, cod, tuna or mackerel, is most often labeled as "nova-style," "lox," "kippered," "smoked," or "jerky." The fish is found in the refrigerator section or sold at deli counters of grocery stores and delicatessens. Canned or shelf-stable smoked seafood may be eaten.
The USDA risk assessment for listeria is ready-to-eat foods is available at
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OPPDE/rdad/FRPubs/97-013F/ListeriaReport.pdf
and one from the World Health Organization is at
http://www.who.int/foodsafety/publications/micro/mra_listeria/en/index.html
Sources of listeria contamination for soft-serve ice cream machines
After an 18-hour drive to Guelph with Amy and a Russian borzoi , I discovered the potential risks of soft-serve ice cream and the Baskin Robbin's pregnancy promo has become an Internet sensation.
Celebrity blog TMZ.com reported that several sources in the know -- including one pregnant OB/GYN -- tell TMZ that there are "definite" health risks associated with soft-serve ice cream for expectant moms because of Listeria bacteria. Softie machines can be studded with bacteria that can cause all kinds of issues for newborns -- in fact, Down Under, it's pretty much forbidden for preggo women.
Baskin Robbin's told TMZ in a statement,
"Our Soft Serve products are continuously monitored by our suppliers, and our pasteurization process is state inspected and certified on a regular basis. The only way Listeria, which has been found in a variety of raw foods, can be found in soft serve would be through improper pasteurization."
Not quite sure about that one. But we'll do some more digging.
Healthinspections.com also picked up on the story, and said they had discovered dirty-machine problems in reviewing health inspection reports for soft serve ice cream shops in past years.
Is free soft-serve ice cream for pregnant women a good idea?
Baskin Robbins is offering free soft serve ice cream to expectant mothers on May 21, 2008, in California, Chicago, New York, Nashville, and El Paso, Texas. It's apparently the beginning of a national roll-out of soft serve ice cream at Baskin Robbins.
I have no idea why they targeted expectant moms, or why they recruited a pregnant Tori Spelling as spokesthingy.
Andrew Reece and I did some quickie research and found the Australians, in particular, may have a problem with this promo.
Soft serve ice cream is on the Australian list of foods pregnant women should avoid. Sanitation with the equipment appears to be an on-going problem.
A 1996 study in Sydney, Australia found 49 of 86 samples of soft serve to have dangerous bacteria levels. Another study in Wisconsin in 2003, found 15 of 22 local soft serve machines at retail food service establishments to have dangerous levels of coliforms and other bacteria. In 2006, Iowa also found a high level of soft serve machines (23%) in the Waterloo-Cedar Falls area to have dangerous levels of coliforms and other bacteria. Regular cleaning of machines with soap and sanitizer could reduce the number of bacteria found on the soft serve machines.
Poor hygiene can lead to the spread of foodborne illness through soft serve ice cream. Soft serve ice cream is typically kept at a higher storage temperature than frozen ice creams, which could lead to increased bacterial growth. Ice cream is high in moisture and protein content, which is favorable for bacteria to grow. The Food Safety Authority of Ireland has its own publication warning of such risks.
The risk appears minimal with good sanitation -- although our research was limited and forced by time constraints. A reader asked, would I take my pregnant wife for free B&R soft serve ice cream?
No.
Processor says New Zealand listeria due to bad luck, media boredom or staff error
Richard Kornman of Leonards Superior Smallgoods said yesterday the second recall of its products in a week was due to part bad luck and part due to a lack of news for media to report on.
.jpg)
Today, Kornman said a staff member could have introduced listeria to the factory by failing to follow hygiene procedures in the company's "high care" area, where the packaged, cold meats were sliced.
Kornman also said the company had been caught in the crossfire of criticism directed toward some district health boards, and that he knew of other companies which had been caught out several times in similar situations but had never been subjected to the same media scrutiny.
Kornman noted the company had been supplying the meat for more than 10 years and it was the first issue it had in that time.
Listeria contaminated milk may have infected 1300 Bulgarian children
The Sophia news agency is reporting that some 1300 children from Bulgaria's southern municipalities of Dupnitza, Rila, and Kocherinovo will be examined for the dangerous Listeriosis infection after consuming contaminated milk in their kindergardens.
Authorities said the milk contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes bacteria was produced by Euromeat and Milk EOOD, which were sanctioned in the end of January over not meeting hygienic requirements.
.jpg)
Listeria found in pasteurized milk
Two elderly men died from listeriosis contracted from contaminated milk from Whittier Farms in Shrewsbury, Mass. in June and October. Just this week, state health officials warned consumers not to drink milk from the farm, while they investigated the source of contamination.
Officials today announced that the pasteurization process at the dairy was found to be working properly and that contamination must have occurred after the milk was pasteurized.
Doctor Alfred DeMaria, the state director of communicable disease control, says the dairy appeared to do everything right.
The dairy continues to suspend operations and work with officials to pinpoint the source of the deadly listeria.
Continue Reading...Two dead from listeria in Massachusetts
State health officials warned consumers not to drink milk products from Whittier Farms in Shrewsbury, Mass. after two people died after consuming products contaminated with listeria bacteria.
.jpg)
The Department of Public Health has identified four cases of the listerioris. 2 of the victims have died. The cases occurred in June, October and two in November. The four cases involved three elderly residents and a pregnant woman from Worcester county.
DNA fingerprinting conducted by the State Laboratory Institute showed that the bacteria causing these infections came from a common source.
Whittier Farms has agreed to suspend operations and distribution until a source of contamination is identified.
Brand names produced at Whittier Dairy include Whittier, Schultz, Balance Rock, Spring Brook, and Maple.
Four people had pregnancy complications after getting Listeria
The North Carolina Division of Public Health is warning pregnant women about the consumption of soft cheeses, hot dogs and deli-style meats and prepared salads after three cases of listeriosis were identified in Moore, Durham and Mecklenburg counties and a probable case was identified in Buncombe County.
.jpg)
The story says that two of the pregnant women miscarried after they contracted the infection. In a third case, the pregnant mom delivered early, but she and her baby are doing well. The probable case involves another pregnant woman who also lost her baby. All four had consumed soft cheeses from a variety of sources.
State Epidemiologist Dr. Jeff Engel said, "This is a tragedy, which could have been avoided. Listeriosis can be prevented by avoiding unpasteurized milk and other potentially contaminated food, especially among vulnerable people."
State Laboratory of Public Health testing showed different strains of the bacteria were involved and that one product doesn't seem to be the blame, and that's why public health officials issued a general Listeria warning.
Norwegian hospital liable for listeria deaths
The Rikshospitalet University Hospital must take responsibility for the death of a pair of unborn twins after their mother ate a soft cheese at Rikshospitalet University Hospital.
Food Safety Authority section leader Christoffer Nilsen told the newspaper Nationen that the hospital has the responsibility for food safety for everything they serve, and that such cheeses should not be given to pregnant women because of the risk of listeria.
.jpg)
"Therefore this is a serious breach of the rules which the managing director of the hospital must take responsibility for."
Rikshospitalet University Hospital strategy director Stein Vaaler was cited as saying that the FSA has been sent a report about the listeria outbreak but would not comment on the statements by the Food Safety Authority.
Hospitals should know better, but it is well documented that many pregnant women are not told about such food safety risks by their doctors.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control recommendations for persons at high risk, such as pregnant women and persons with weakened immune systems, includes:
-Do not eat hot dogs, luncheon meats, or deli meats, unless they are reheated until steaming hot
-Avoid getting fluid from hot dog packages on other foods, utensils, and food preparation surfaces, and wash hands after handling hot dogs, luncheon meats, and deli meats
-Do not eat soft cheeses such as feta, Brie, and Camembert, blue-veined cheeses, or Mexican-style cheeses such as queso blanco, queso fresco, and Panela, unless they have labels that clearly state they are made from pastuerized milk
-Do not eat refrigerated pâtés or meat spreads. Canned or shelf-stable pâtés and meat spreads may be eaten
-Do not eat refrigerated smoked seafood, unless it is contained in a cooked dish, such as a casserole. Refrigerated smoked seafood, such as salmon, trout, whitefish, cod, tuna or mackerel, is most often labeled as "nova-style," "lox," "kippered," "smoked," or "jerky." The fish is found in the refrigerator section or sold at deli counters of grocery stores and delicatessens. Canned or shelf-stable smoked seafood may be eaten.
The USDA risk assessment for listeria is ready-to-eat foods is available here
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OPPDE/rdad/FRPubs/97-013F/ListeriaReport.pdf
and one from the World Health Organization is here
http://www.who.int/foodsafety/publications/micro/mra_listeria/en/index.html
Raw milk goat cheese leads to listeria
The Quebec ministry of agriculture is warning people not to eat raw milk goat cheese from La Ferme écologique coop d'Ulverton located on Route 143 in Ulverton after a case of Listeria monocytogenes food poisoning was reported in the Montreal area.
Laboratory tests on the raw milk cheese from the Ulverton coop revealed the presence of listeria.
The ministry said the dairy coop does not have the required permit to make cheese destined for consumers and that people should not eat cheese from producers who are not licensed. Only raw milk cheese produced in licensed factories can be consumed safely.
As Amy noted in June, some of the major French producers have switched to using heated milk to reduce the risk of disease. Lactilis’ spokesperson, Luc Morelon said that although they recognize the importance of Camembert traditions, they’re making the change,
“[b]ecause consumer safety is paramount, and we cannot guarantee it 100 per cent. We cannot accept the risk of seeing our historic brands disappearing because of an accident in production." In response to his critics Morelon added, “I don't want to risk sending any more children to hospital. It's as simple as that."
Scientist says listeria caused by consumer mishandling; company recalls dip anyway
In response to a recent University of Wollongong study which found that 57 per cent of the pregnant Australian woman surveyed were not aware of foods they should avoid to prevent listeriosis, Food Standards Australia New Zealand's (FSANZ) Chief Medical Advisor, Dr Bob Boyd, said,
"listeriosis is usually caused by people at risk eating food that has not been stored or handled properly once the food has been produced or cooked.
"Listeria bacteria are found widely in nature and may be present in pre-prepared uncooked foods or pre-cooked foods which have been kept for some time after they have cooled down.
"If you or anyone in your household is pregnant, immuno-compromised or elderly, it is important you reduce your risk by taking a few simple precautions. For example: by eating only freshly prepared and well-washed food, following good food hygiene practice such as washing and drying hands, by cooking foods thoroughly, and by refrigerating leftovers immediately and keeping them no more than a day. …
"I would like to remind health professionals of the dangers of Listeria and to make sure they have supplies of the FSANZ brochure on Listeria."
OzFoodNet data show that during 2006 in Australia there were eight Listeria infections in pregnant women with two deaths out of the eight babies and that there were 51 Listeria infections in the elderly or immuno-compromised with 7 deaths.
This is a serious issue, one that Christina and JLo, above, should know about, but pointing to a brochure is not enough. Information on any food safety issue needs to be rapid, reliable, relevant and repeated.
About the same time as Dr. Boyd's comments, Coles Group Supermarkets voluntarily recalled You’ll Love Coles basil pesto dip (150g) from all Coles, Bi-Lo and Pick and Pay stores across Australia after testing by the manufacturer revealed the possible presence of Listeria monocytogenes.
Customers are encouraged to check in their homes to ensure they do not have any of the affected product. Customers should return any affected product to their nearest Coles, Bi-Lo and Pick and Pay store for a full refund.
A quick check of the CSPI outbreak database reveals that many listeria outbreaks happened at point of sale. It's a processing issue; yes, consumer storage can contribute to the problem, bt in the absence of data -- none was presented by Dr. Boyd -- why taint a good message with a dubious claim about how listeria is primarily the consumer's fault?
Cheese should not be made in a bathtub
The California Department of Food and Agriculture said that a Southern California couple is facing criminal charges after allegedly being caught with 375 pounds of “bathtub” cheese at an open-air market in San Bernardino County, says.
The illegal soft cheese products are known to cause serious illness such as listeria, salmonella or E. coli.
The 375 pounds of seized illegal cheese included panela, queso fresco and queso oxaca varieties, the CDFA says. It was a significant find, the department says.
Infants, the elderly and those with weakened immune systems are the most susceptible. Expectant mothers should be especially guarded, as the listeria organism can cause miscarriages.
Listeria kills 2, sickens 12 in Norway
.jpg)
Aftenposten reported Friday that two patients at the National Hospital in Oslo, Norway, died as a result of an infection linked to listeria and another 12 have been sickened since Oct. 1.
Hospital officials were cited as saying the source of the bacteria has not yet been pinpointed, but they said it may have come from contaminated cold food, possibly cheese. All refrigerated food at the hospital has been discarded, but officials said new cases may still arise as the bacteria's incubation period can last for up to a month.
Pregnant women, newborns and adults with weakened immune systems are especially susceptible to listeria. A recent Australian study found that over half of expectant mothers received no information about the risks associated with listeria and certain foods.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control recommendations for persons at high risk, such as pregnant women and persons with weakened immune systems, includes:
-Do not eat hot dogs, luncheon meats, or deli meats, unless they are reheated until steaming hot.
-Avoid getting fluid from hot dog packages on other foods, utensils, and food preparation surfaces, and wash hands after handling hot dogs, luncheon meats, and deli meats.
-Do not eat soft cheeses such as feta, Brie, and Camembert, blue-veined cheeses, or Mexican-style cheeses such as queso blanco, queso fresco, and Panela, unless they have labels that clearly state they are made from pastuerized milk.
-Do not eat refrigerated pâtés or meat spreads. Canned or shelf-stable pâtés and meat spreads may be eaten.
-Do not eat refrigerated smoked seafood, unless it is contained in a cooked dish, such as a casserole. Refrigerated smoked seafood, such as salmon, trout, whitefish, cod, tuna or mackerel, is most often labeled as "nova-style," "lox," "kippered," "smoked," or "jerky." The fish is found in the refrigerator section or sold at deli counters of grocery stores and delicatessens. Canned or shelf-stable smoked seafood may be eaten.
Listeria kills 2, sickens 12 in Norway
.jpg)
Aftenposten reported Friday that two patients at the National Hospital in Oslo, Norway, died as a result of an infection linked to listeria and another 12 have been sickened since Oct. 1.
Hospital officials said the source of the bacteria has not yet been pinpointed, but it may have come from contaminated cold food, possibly cheese. All refrigerated food at the hospital has been discarded, but officials said new cases may still arise as the bacteria's incubation period can last for up to a month.
Pregnant women, newborns and adults with weakened immune systems are especially susceptible to listeria. A recent Australian study found that over half of expectant mothers received no information about the risks associated with listeria and certain foods.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control recommendations for persons at high risk, such as pregnant women and persons with weakened immune systems, includes:
-Do not eat hot dogs, luncheon meats, or deli meats, unless they are reheated until steaming hot.
-Avoid getting fluid from hot dog packages on other foods, utensils, and food preparation surfaces, and wash hands after handling hot dogs, luncheon meats, and deli meats.
-Do not eat soft cheeses such as feta, Brie, and Camembert, blue-veined cheeses, or Mexican-style cheeses such as queso blanco, queso fresco, and Panela, unless they have labels that clearly state they are made from pastuerized milk.
-Do not eat refrigerated pâtés or meat spreads. Canned or shelf-stable pâtés and meat spreads may be eaten.
-Do not eat refrigerated smoked seafood, unless it is contained in a cooked dish, such as a casserole. Refrigerated smoked seafood, such as salmon, trout, whitefish, cod, tuna or mackerel, is most often labeled as "nova-style," "lox," "kippered," "smoked," or "jerky." The fish is found in the refrigerator section or sold at deli counters of grocery stores and delicatessens. Canned or shelf-stable smoked seafood may be eaten.
