Source of listeriosis in processed cold meats

THE Enterprise food production facility in Polokwane, Limpopo has been identified as the source of the current listeriosis outbreak in South Africa, says Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi.

Shoprite said supermarkets in the group had yesterday started to remove all ready-toeat processed meat products produced by Enterprise Foods and Rainbow Chicken from its perishable departments and delicatessens, following the announcement.

“Customers are also invited to return any Enterprise Foods and Rainbow Chicken processed meat (cold meats like polonies, viennas, russians etc) products they have at home for a full refund,” the group said.

Pick n Pay Stores Group Executive, Strategy and Corporate Affairs David North, said: “All Enterprise products have already been recalled by the company concerned and we are urgently withdrawing them from our stores. This action is taking place in all Pick n Pay and Boxer stores.”

“… a team from the National Institute for Communicable Diseases interviewed 109 sick people to obtain details about foods they had eaten in the month before falling ill.

“Ninety-three (85%) reported eating ready-to-eat processed meat products, of which polony was the most common, followed by viennas/ sausages, and then other cold meats,” Motsoaledi said.

The environmental health practitioners were informed, and on the same day they visited the crèche and obtained samples from two unrelated polony brands (manufactured by Enterprise and Rainbow Chicken respectively) and submitted these to the laboratory for testing. “Listeria monocytogenes were isolated from stool collected from one of the sick children, and from both of the polony specimens collected from the crèche…,” the minister said.