Throw out all your killer meat
LISTERIA: OUTBREAK LINKED TO PROCESSING PLANT IN LIMPOPO
Minister of Health Aaron Motsoaledi sounds the alarm as processed meat producers are ordered to shut down and recall products from plants linked to the national outbreak of listeriosis.
Strain found in large amounts of the edible casing of polony, Viennas.
Throw away your readyto-eat processed meat products and avoid them – for now. This was the warning from Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi to consumers around the country after producers were ordered to shut down and recall all retail products from three meat processing plants from which strains of listeria had been linked to the current national outbreak.
The health department found that Enterprise Foods’ biggest processing plant in Limpopo was the source of the present outbreak of listeria.
The strain, which was found in large amounts of meat from the plant, matched the strain which had infected patients in Gauteng, where 60% of listeria cases have been found. This plant supplies Mpumalanga, Gauteng and the North West.
Rainbow Chicken Limited products sampled in Soweto were also found to be contaminated with the same strain of listeria linked to a creche from where five children were admitted to Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital in January, with severe symptoms of listeriosis.
World Health Organisation representative Dr Rufaro Chatora said the duration of the outbreak meant that all meat products from these plants should be recalled. “There was an epidemiological connection between the plant and cases in Soweto. Now the whole genome sequencing has been done, and the result which came [on Saturday night] confirmed that indeed that is the source, that has to do with plant production,” Chatora said. Gauteng was the hardest hit by the outbreak since last year. The disease had claimed at least 63 lives nationally as of January. The outbreak strain of listeria was found in large amounts of the edible casing used to seal such products as Vienna sausages and polony before it gets packaged. According to department spokesperson Popo Maja, officials at the Limpopo plant found these casings to be highly contaminated with the type 6 (ST6) strain, found in over 90% of listeriosis cases.
Motsoaledi said the reason the outbreak had not affected Limpopo as seriously was that the province was mostly rural and not the company’s main consumer base.
“Processed meat products are not used as much in rural areas; it’s more a part of the lifestyle of people in Gauteng. In rural areas, it is just luxury,” Maja reiterated.
An industry-wide investigation into all processed food facilities is currently under way, he added. This could mean that more brands could be pulled off supermarket shelves.
Rainbow Chicken products also contaminated
Sanele Gumada and Chisom Jenniffer Okoye
Employees at a Pick n Pay supermarket were seen taking down the Enterprise branded coldmeat products yesterday after news of the listeriosis outbreak was announced.
The Citizen visited supermarkets to find out if consumers were aware of the announcement and what they know about listeriosis.
“We have just been informed about this and we are taking down all the products to ensure the safety of our customers,” said an employee. “We will also be refunding all customers who have purchased any Enterprise product.”
A woman, who was not aware of the announcement, was seen at a Spar supermarket purchas- ing cold meat for her dog.
However, while many were unaware about the cause of the listeriosis outbreak, some were concerned about how under-privileged people would be affected.
Mac Carim, an elderly shopper at Checkers said: “Although I don’t eat pork or processed meat because I’m Muslim, this is a popular product and people who produce this are criminally negligent and can cause great harm.
“This is terrible – and there should be an inquiry on why this is happening.
“I mean, everyone eats polony; the lower income groups are going to be heavily affected by this.”
A young man felt producers of the product affected would have to face repercussions. “I am not really anxious about the outbreak. I feel that it doesn’t matter what I eat, I know that there will be repercussions for the suppliers of the product. So I do feel that, as a consumer, I am protected no matter what,” said Lawrence Hill.
A parent was shocked about the outbreak and emphasised the importance of being informed about such issues.
“I am very worried about my children’s health and what they are eating. This is a very serious disease. Although there is still quite a low death toll ... I think people need to be aware of what is happening,” he said.
This is terrible – and there should be an inquiry on why this is happening.
Mac Carim Checkers customer