Danger signs Bacteria commonly found in ready-to-eat food
Q
What is listeria and why is it bad?
A
Listeria is a bacteria that can cause a very severe disease, but usually it only affects people who don’t have a strong immune system. It is caught by eating contaminated food. Pregnant women are warned about the dangers because their immunity is lower than normal. There are around 150 to 200 cases of listeriosis in Britain a year but they are mostly mild.
Q
Where is it commonly picked up from?
A
This bacteria is killed if food is cooked, so infection is often caused by ready-to-eat foods, such as sandwiches, that become contaminated. It’s found in soil so can come from salads and herbs, but it also often contaminates meats, vegetables, soft cheeses and patés.
Q
What would happen to a healthy person who ate a sandwich infected with
listeria? A
If there are high numbers of listeria, the person could get gastroenteritis or a flu-like illness. In some cases there are no symptoms at all. These types of illnesses are usually selflimiting and the body deals with it.
Q
What are the symptoms of
a severe infection? A
The early stages of listeriosis are flu-like, but then move on to symptoms that are typical for systemic blood infections and can affect balance and co-ordination.
Q
Is there any history of outbreaks in the UK?
A
The last large outbreak was in the Eighties; contaminated paté was identified as the source.
Q
How would the bacteria have got into the food chain?
A
In sandwiches listeria would have got in either through the ingredients or the slicing machines.