Food poisoning - listeria infection

Food poisoning - listeria infection

What is listeria infection?

Listeria infection is an illness usually caused by eating foods contaminated by the

Listeria monocytogenes

bacteria.

Listeria infection (also known as listeriosis) is uncommon but it can cause death in at-risk people, such as the elderly and people whose

immune systems

are not working properly.

It is also a serious illness in

pregnant women

and their unborn babies.

Symptoms of listeria infection range from mild to severe

Early symptoms of listeria include:

fever

headache

tiredness

aches and pain.

These can lead to more serious problems, including:

meningitis (brain infection)

septicaemia (blood poisoning).

Listeria infection in pregnant women

Listeria infection can have severe consequences for pregnant women and their developing and newborn babies. Even a mild listeria infection can cause:

miscarriage

stillbirth

premature birth

a baby who is very ill when born.

Other people who are at high risk of listeria infection

People at high risk of listeria infection include:

the elderly

people whose immune system is weakened by illnesses like

cancer

,

liver

or

kidney disease

and

diabetes

people on medications like prednisone or cortisone. This includes

organ transplant

patients.

Listeria infection can be treated with antibiotics, but prevention is best

Early use of antibiotics can help in the treatment of listeria infection, but prevention is best.

Listeria high-risk foods

Listeria

bacteria are common throughout the environment, including in soil, water and the digestive systems of animals. Unlike many bacteria, they can continue to multiply under refrigeration temperatures.

Refrigerated foods can become contaminated with the bacteria, which can then grow to dangerous levels under certain conditions.

Foods most commonly associated with

Listeria

include:

foods with a long shelf-life that are kept under refrigeration

foods that are eaten without any further treatment such as cooking that would kill the bacteria.

The following foods are considered high-risk for

Listeria

and should be avoided by at-risk people, including pregnant women:

raw fruit, vegetables and herbs where washing procedures are unknown, including raw vegetable and herb garnishes

ready-to-eat seafood that will not be further cooked – including smoked seafood (such as fish, mussels, and oysters), raw seafood (such as sashimi, sushi and oysters) and cooked/chilled seafood (such as peeled prawns)

pre-prepared, pre-cut, or pre-packaged fruits and vegetables – including those available from greengrocers, supermarkets, buffets, salad bars and sandwich bars

drinks made from fresh or frozen fruit and vegetables where washing procedures are unknown, such as juices and smoothies (excluding pasteurised or canned juices)

cold meat products eaten without further cooking or heating, as commonly found in delis, sandwich shops or pre-packaged in supermarkets – such as pate, ham, salami, processed/fermented meat products, and cold pre-cooked chicken

unpasteurised milk or foods made from unpasteurised milk

soft-serve ice-creams

soft cheeses – such as brie, camembert, ricotta, blue-vein, and feta

refrigerated ready to eat dips – such as hummus, pesto, guacamole and tahini

raw or lightly cooked sprouts – including green sprouts like alfalfa and bean sprouts

sandwiches containing any of the high-risk ingredients mentioned above

ready-to-eat foods – including leftover meats, which have been refrigerated for more than one day and will not be further reheated/cooked.

Hints for handling and preparing food

When you

handle and prepare food

, you should take care to:

Wash and dry your hands well

before preparing food, and between handling raw food and ready-to-eat foods.

Wash raw fruit and vegetables thoroughly under running water before eating.

Cook all foods of animal origin, including

eggs

, thoroughly.

Don’t use the same boards and knives for cooked foods that you used for raw foods unless they have been washed in warm, soapy water and dried.

Defrost food by placing it on the lower shelves of the fridge or use a microwave.

Always follow advice on food labels. Cooking foods before eating them can kill certain bacteria, including

Listeria

.

Store food with care

When you

store food

, you should:

Keep food covered.

Place cooked food in the fridge within one hour of cooking.

Put raw meat, poultry and fish below cooked or ready-to-eat food in the fridge to prevent drips that could contaminate pre-prepared food.

Do not use refrigerated foods beyond their use-by dates.

Keep your fridge clean.

Food temperatures

Follow these tips on food temperatures:

Your fridge temperature should be below 5 °C.

Keep hot foods hot (above 60 °C) and cold foods cold (at, or below, 5 °C).

Reheat food until the internal temperature of the food is piping hot.

Ensure microwaved food reaches the desired temperature throughout before eating.

Where to get help

In an emergency, always call triple zero (000)

Your

GP (doctor)

NURSE-ON-CALL

Tel.

1300 606 024

– for expert health information and advice (24 hours, 7 days)

Food Safety

Hotline

External Link

Tel.

1300 364 352

Food Standards Australia New

Zealand

External Link

Tel.

(02) 6271 2222