Primary source of listeriosis still not known, parliament told

THE primary source of the deadly listeriosis outbreak was still unknown, the departments of health‚ trade and industry and agriculture‚ forestry and fisheries told parliament yesterday.

According to the DA‚ the departments briefed a joint sitting of the portfolio committees on health, trade and industry, and agriculture‚ forestry and fisheries on progress made to contain the further spread of the listeria bacteria.

“Although traces of the bacterium have been found at Enterprise and Rainbow Chicken facilities‚ the departments have confirmed the DA suspicions that Rainbow and Enterprise factories are a source but not the primary sources of the outbreak‚” DA MP Patricia Kopane said.

“It is now apparent that the government seems to be blaming bureaucratic processes and has opted for prematurely scapegoating Enterprise and Rainbow because it does not have proper emergency plans in place to contain this outbreak‚” she said.

More than 180 people have died and there are more than 900 more confirmed cases in the country.

“We need urgent plans to prevent further loss of life‚” she said.

The DA called on the government to implement steps to prevent another outbreak and ensure food safety.

Asked to comment‚ food safety expert Dr Lucia Anelich said she was unsure what was meant by “primary source” of the outbreak.

“We know that the outbreak strain of listeria‚ ST6‚ was found in the Enterprise plant‚ but it’s true that we don’t know its origin‚” she said.

The National Institute for Communicable Diseases’ Dr Juno Thomas said: “My understanding is that the Department of Health is investigating other RTE processed meat producers and retailers are also conducting their own tests on house-brand RTE processed meats to ensure safety.”

The institute has not updated the listeriosis statistics for the past three weeks. – TimesLIVE

SOUTH Africa’s listeriosis outbreak could have a financial impact that extends far beyond the companies at the heart of the crisis‚ Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies told parliament yesterday.

“We have a significant reputational challenge which we now need to confront‚” he said.

“Recovering from incidents like this is a massive challenge for the companies concerned.

“They need to embrace it with a spirit of transparency. The same applies to us as a country.”

South Africa’s listeriosis outbreak is the worst in recorded history and has been responsible for 185 deaths‚ according to the health department.

On March 4, the National Institute for Communicable Diseases identified listeria monocytogenes‚ the bacteria that causes listeriosis‚ in ready-to-eat processed meats made by Tiger Brands and RCL Foods.

The bacteria was found in samples of Tiger Brands’ Enterprise polony and sausages and in polony made by RCL Foods.

South Africa’s exports of sausages were worth an average of R212-million a year‚ and its exports of other prepared meat products averaged R531-million a year‚ the Department of Trade and Industry’s chief director for international trade and economic development, Niki Kruger, told MPs.

While exports of the affected products represented just 0.01% of South Africa’s global exports‚ the listeriosis outbreak had already affected exports of other foodstuffs‚ she said.

Rwanda banned imports of South African dairy‚ meat‚ fruit and vegetables in December.

Several other countries have banned the import of South African processed meat products‚ including Zambia‚ Malawi‚ Botswana and Namibia.

Determining exactly how listeria had been introduced into Tiger Brands and RCL production facilities was vital‚ Davies said.

“The sooner we can come to certainty about the common thread between the factories‚ the better‚” he said.

“If there is a listeriosis outbreak in another country traced back to South Africa‚ we are in big‚ deep trouble.” – BusinessLIVE