What is ‘listeria?’
We all familiar with salmonella poisoning but less so with ‘listeria’; yet this is as equally as dangerous. Listeria is particularly harmful to pregnant women, the elderly and anyone with a ‘compromised’ immune system.
Listeria is caused by bacteria present in chilled foods such as soft cheeses, cooked meats (e.g. ham), smoked salmon, pates and
ready prepared sandwiches.
Symptoms of listeria include:
- fever
- muscle pain
- vomiting
- diarrhoea
- blood poisoning
- severe headaches
- stiff neck
- memory confusion
- clumsiness/lack of co-ordination
Pregnant women are at risk of a stillbirth or a spontaneous abortion.
The best way of preventing this is to ensure that your fridge is set at 0 C and 5 C. When taking chilled foods out of the fridge, make sure that they are only kept out for a minimum period of time before returning them to the fridge.
And make sure that you use chilled food before it’s ‘use by date’.
Food Hygiene Guide Index:
- Food Hygiene (BMI) - Intro
- What are the causes of food poisoning?
- What can be done to prevent food poisoning?