Does this just feel like the summer of Listeria recalls and Hepatitis C outbreaks, or what?? There’s been another recall (this time nationwide) of prepackaged salads, totalling almost 7 tons, because of onions that were identified as having been contaminated with Listeria—the bacteria that can kill people with weakened immune systems and give others mild food poisoning.
Whether last summer’s cantaloupe scare (which caused several infant and elderly deaths) is causing increased vigilance or whether Listeria—which has mutated in the last decade to be able to survive many of our anti-disease practices, like refrigeration—is getting harder to prevent, no one is saying.
What’s good is that many of these recalls are happening before reported cases of Listeria symptoms (although a case worth reporting would be pretty severe—Listeria is only dangerous to people with weakened immune systems, and then it’s deadly).
If you’re concerned about the possibility of someone in your life—or yourself—falling ill to Listeria, keep tabs on food recalls, and try and cut back on prepackaged foods, which make up the majority of Listeria recalls. (This ranges from pre-made dinners to just precut fruit).
Listeria symptoms look like food poisoning symptoms, but if you have a weakened immune system your body may not be able to fight off this particular bacteria.
Concerned about why Listeria is suddenly in all of your food? Or just sick of hearing about Listeria? Sound off in the comments!
