Navigating the Latest Listeria Outbreak

I am starting to feel like a member of the Bad News Bears, the guy that is always focused on the negative.  You might recall from one of my January blog posts that we had a few E. Coli outbreaks across the United States in late-December.  Now, we seem to have started off the year strong – and not necessarily in a good way.  In January, CDC was dealing with a Salmonella outbreak that impacted 22 states and now we have a Listeria monocytogenes outbreak in the news, which has impacted 11 states, leaving 26 ill, 23 of them hospitalized, and two dead (as of early-February).

As health officials work to contain the outbreak, it’s important for consumers and foodservice operators to stay informed about the risks associated with Listeria contamination and take steps to safeguard their health, their employee’s health, and their customer’s health.

We’ve touched on Listeria in previous blog posts, but given the scope and severity of the outbreak, I thought it might be good to dig a bit more into Listeria.

A challenge with Listeria monocytogenes is that it can survive and grow in various environments, including refrigerated foods, making it a significant concern for food safety. Unlike other foodborne pathogens, Listeria can thrive at low temperatures, allowing it to persist in refrigerated and ready-to-eat foods.

Listeriosis impacts around 1,600 people each year, and results in death in approximately 16% of those infected. It is the third leading cause of death from foodborne illnesses.

Listeria is commonly found in soil, water, and some animals, and when an individual consumes the bacterium, the resulting infection is Listeriosis.  Listeriosis impacts around 1,600 people each year, and results in death in approximately 16% of those infected. It is the third leading cause of death from foodborne illnesses. It is one of the reasons pregnant women are advised to not eat raw sprouts, unpasteurized dairy products, and ready-to-eat foods such as pre-packaged salads, deli meats, hot dogs, and soft cheeses.

Listeriosis can result in flu-like symptoms, including fever, muscle aches, nausea, and diarrhea. In severe cases, more serious complications, such as meningitis, septicemia, and miscarriage in pregnant women can result. Around 90% of those who develop listeriosis are either individuals with weakened immune systems, pregnant women or their newborns, or the elderly. According to the World Health Organization, pregnant women are 20 times more likely to contact listeriosis than other healthy adults.

The current Listeria outbreak has been linked to contaminated Queso Fresco and Cotija Cheese distributed nationwide under multiple brand names. Given the incubation period is generally between one and two weeks, but can be as long as 90 days, the potential for increasing infections is great.

To reduce the risk of Listeria contamination and illness, you can take several proactive measures:

  • Be Mindful of Recall Notices and Act Quickly: Suppliers are great at alerting their customers to these recalls, but if you purchased a product at a local supermarket or Wholesale Club, you may not have been made aware of the recall. You can subscribe to online updates for recalls; but however, if you do it, stay up to date on these. Check product labels and expiration dates to ensure that any recalled items are promptly discarded or returned to the place of purchase. If you haven’t been made aware of the current (as of Feb. 5, 2024) recall to which I am referring, you can view it online.
  • Practice Proper Food Handling: Follow safe food handling practices to minimize the risk of contamination. Once Listeria is in a business, it is difficult to fully remove. Encourage employees to routinely and thoroughly wash their hands, and be sure to clean and sanitize utensils, and surfaces before and after preparing food.
  • Cook Foods Thoroughly: Cook meats, poultry, and seafood to the appropriate internal temperatures to kill harmful bacteria, including Listeria. Use a food thermometer to verify that foods reach the recommended temperature for safety. Be sure to reinforce proper cooking temperatures with your employees – and feel free to use our free Temperature Chart for Food Safety resource in your operation.
  • Be Cautious with High-Risk Foods: Exercise caution when consuming high-risk foods that are more susceptible to Listeria contamination, such as deli meats, unpasteurized dairy products, and pre-packaged salads. Consider heating these foods before consumption to reduce the risk of Listeria infection.
  • Seek Medical Attention if Symptoms Arise: If you experience symptoms of Listeria infection, such as fever, muscle aches, or gastrointestinal discomfort, seek medical attention promptly – especially if you have consumed one of the recalled products. Early diagnosis and treatment can help prevent the progression of the illness and reduce the risk of complications.

The bottom line for operators and consumers alike is to remain vigilant and be proactive in protecting your business and yourselves from any outbreak – including the current Listeria outbreak. You can’t operate your business in the dark, stay informed and updated. Practice and reinforce the good food safety practices you’ve always followed and depend on the culture of food safety that you’ve been developing at your business. Risk Nothing. 

 

Meat Color and Doneness: Persistent Pinking

Late in June, my family and I were able to visit the Black Hills, an area of the country in which I have not had the opportunity to spend much time.  One evening, as we dined at a local restaurant, I observed a table across the dining room sending back a dinner.  While I couldn’t hear the entire conversation and I certainly wasn’t trying to eavesdrop, it was apparent that the customer was unhappy with the cooking of their hamburger and was sending it back because it was too pink in the middle.  That immediately brought to my mind the phenomenon known as persistent pinking.  A term I became familiar with because of work done by some colleagues here at Kansas State, which they present each summer to a group of foodservice operators who join us on-campus for an in-depth week-long look at all things food safety.

Quat Binding – Why this Can Have a Disastrous Impact on Your Sanitation Program.

In June, I had the opportunity to represent FoodHandler and speak on food safety behavior for customers of Martin Bros. Distributing in Waterloo, Iowa.  One of the questions that was asked caught me a little off guard. The question was about quat binding.  It caught me off guard not because it was a bad question, but only because it was not something I had previously been asked nor had not yet been exposed to the phenomenon. However, I soon learned that in certain jurisdictions, it is resulting in changes to how sanitizing cloths are to be stored in sanitizing buckets (or not) in the foodservice industry. When I returned home from the trip, I had to dig into it to learn about what quat binding is and how it might impact foodservice operations.

Are Grades for Foodservice Inspections a Good Idea?

I generally try to stay away from controversial topics in my blog, but this is one I thought it might be interesting to discuss. Occasionally on my travels, I will come across a state or a local jurisdiction that requires foodservice inspection scores be posted in the window of the establishment.  The idea is to allow would-be customers the ability to see how the foodservice operation in which they are about to eat scored on their latest health inspection.