Source of listeriosis outbreak revealed

Origin is Enterprise, Rainbow Chicken processed cold meats

RETAILERS Shoprite and Pick n Pay quickly removed Enterprise Foods and Rainbow Chicken meat products from their shelves after the Health Minister and the National Institute of Communicable Diseases said the source of the present outbreak of listeriosis was an Enterprise facility in Polokwane, and traces were also found in polony manufactured by Rainbow Chicken.

“Following the announcement by the Minister of Health today, the National Consumer Commission has issued these manufacturers with notices to recall all products produced in their Polokwane, Germiston and Free State factories respectively and to cease production as a result of tests linking the listeria monocytogenes ST6 strain positively with these plants,” Shoprite said in statement.

They have also invited consumers to return any Enterprise Foods and Rainbow Chicken processed meat such as cold meats like polony, Viennas and Russians, they have at home for a full refund.

According to Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi, 621 people died of 727 laboratory-confirmed cases of listeriosis that had occurred since January 1, 2017. After the minister’s announcement, the Shoprite Group said they had instituted “an enhanced monitoring plan on top of regular independent audits of store food preparation areas, in an effort to detect if a risk of listeria was present, given that the bacterium naturally occurs in the environment”.

Pick n Pay has also decided to withdraw all products from the manufacturing sites identified by the Department of Health.

“Enterprise and Rainbow supply a very broad range of retailers across South Africa. All Enterprise products (including the Bokkie, Renown, Lifestyle and Mieliekip brands) have already been recalled by the company concerned and we are urgently withdrawing them from our stores.

“In addition, all ready-to-eat products such as polony and Russian sausages manufactured at the Rainbow facility in Sasolburg are also being withdrawn,” group executive, strategy and corporate affairs, David North said.

North added that all fridges and food preparation areas in its stores will now be re-cleaned to prevent any cross-contamination. Recalled meat is being isolated and will be safely destroyed.

Briefing the media about the source of the listeriosis outbreak yesterday afternoon, Motsoaledi said samples had been taken from polony at a crèche in Soweto.

“Listeria monocytogenes were isolated from stool collected from one of the sick children, and from both of the polony specimens collected from the crèche,” Motsoaledi said.

He added: “We can now conclude scientifically that the source of the present outbreak is the Enterprise Food production facility located in Polokwane.” – marvin. charles@inl.co.za