Video: Listeria Explained

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STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) — Cantaloupes, salads, ice cream … All have been contaminated with Listeria within the last few years.

But what is the bacteria? And what can we do to stay safe?

Listeria is particularly dangerous because it grows in refrigerated temperatures, making it hard to get rid of in food that isn’t cooked.

There are only 25 hundred cases of listeriosis in he U.S. each year, but out of those an average of 1 in 5 dies from the disease.

Like many infections, people with compromised immune systems have more to worry about.

“Pregnancy, elderly, young young children, somebody with aids,” says Brent Fountain with MSU Extension.

Since the bacteria thrives in cold temperatures, washing your vegetables or fruit won’t do much good, but Fountain says tossing out food that is past it’s expiration date may help you avoid an illness.

Now there may not be much you can do when it comes to produce but when it comes to meat, your best bet to stay safe is to make sure it’s fully cooked.

To kill the bacteria, cook meat at 175 degrees, other then that Fountain says you just have to trust that companies have a good sanitation system in place.

“So you’re watching for sources to come in, you’re constantly cleaning the equipment, you’re surveying to make sure it’s not in your facility,” says Fountain.

And remember many systems are in place to keep you safe.

“Recall system in place, that pulls those foods off the shelf very quickly, and then those foods aren’t allowed to be introduced back in.”
It can take 1 to 70 days to know you have been infected, symptoms are similar to the stomach flu.” says Fountain.

He adds the risk can be much higher in pregnant women, Listeria can infect the baby and cause an early or even still birth.

Categories: Local News

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