Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes: Serious Threats to the Safety of Food
Earlier in the month, I mentioned the top microbial enemies we all face in foodservice operations, E. coli, Campylobacter, Salmonella, and Listeria monocytogenes. While we discussed E. coli and Campylobacter, we did not get around to discussing Salmonella or Listeria monocytogenes.
Food is the source for most Salmonella outbreaks in the United States, which causes about 1.35 million infections each year. The illness that results from Salmonella is called salmonellosis, and it can be serious. Most individuals who contract salmonellosis will recover within a week, yet, it accounts for almost one-third of all food-related deaths in the United States. Salmonellosis infections result in 26,500 hospitalizations and 420 deaths each year.
It is hard to trace outbreaks to any one source. Recent outbreaks have been linked to cashew brie (yes, there is such a thing as cashew brie, I thought it was a typo, so I looked it up!), ground turkey, mushrooms, peaches, and onions, which shows the wide variety of products that could be impacted by Salmonella.
Listeria monocytogenes is the bacterium that causes listeriosis, which sickens an estimated 1,600 people each year, resulting in approximately 260 deaths yearly in the United States. Listeriosis is more likely to impact pregnant women, newborns, older adults, and those with weakened immune systems.
Most individuals who contract salmonellosis will recover within a week, yet, it accounts for almost a third of all food-related deaths in the United States.
Sources of listeriosis outbreaks over the last few years have been related to deli meats and cheeses (3 of the 5 reported outbreaks from known sources), mushrooms (1 of the 5 reported outbreaks), and hard-boiled eggs (1 of the 5 reported outbreaks). The implication of deli meats and cheeses in listeriosis outbreaks is the reason women are encouraged to forgo consuming these items during pregnancy.
To mitigate the likelihood of a salmonellosis or a listeriosis infection, wash your hands and thoroughly wash and sanitize cutting boards and other food contact surfaces, especially those that have come into contact with raw meat or poultry. Be sure to thoroughly wash fresh fruits and vegetables before consuming, cook foods to the proper temperatures, and refrigerate leftovers and other perishable items as quickly as possible. Last, but not least, refrain from eating or drinking foods containing raw eggs or unpasteurized milk. And yes, this does include raw cookie dough that contains raw eggs.
If you have more questions about the microbiology of food safety, be sure to join us in just a few days for our next SafeBites Webinar! Dr. Sara Gragg, an associate professor of animal sciences and industry at Kansas State University will present “The Science Behind the Temperature Danger Zone and Limiting Bacterial Growth.” Be sure to sign-up and join us. Risk Nothing.
Getting Started with Building the Infrastructure
Hopefully in our first January blog, we convinced you of the importance of establishing an infrastructure within your operation to support a safe food culture. So, how does one go about doing this? Well, like any major project, break it into small bites. In our opinion, having a written guide for employees that documents expectations related to food safety basics of employee health and hygiene, temperature controls, and cleaning and sanitizing is the first step. Having this documentation serves as a reference for training and helps fulfill the mission of most foodservice operators which is to serve safe, quality food.
Food Safety Resolutions for the New Year
Finally, 2020 is in our rearview mirror and we can all turn the page to 2021! Resolutions for the new year might be more of the same from prior years (lose weight, exercise more, less screen time, etc.) OR you may have identified new practices to implement in your operation. If the latter, likely goals included some practices related to food safety – especially given the turmoil of 2020 and heightened concern by customers. It is our philosophy that attention to safe food handling practices is a win-win for any operation because of the direct relationship between food safety and food quality, which in turn leads to customer satisfaction. This past year has also demonstrated that attention to safety can affect the bottom line. Thus, the topic of our first SafeBites webinar for 2021 is on the topic of the return on investment of food safety, it is scheduled for January 20, so register now and please plan to attend.
To Toss or Not to Toss? That is the question.
Our first blog for the month emphasized the basic safe food practices needed to keep you and your guests healthy (and happy!), especially during these times of COVID. The impact of foodborne illness can range from an uncomfortable few days to hospitalization or death. Foodborne illness IS preventable and the steps taken to keep food safe also maintain quality of food, and ultimately profitability. Think of attention to food safety as part of quality control and a win-win business strategy. Knowledge about food safety can be helpful when controlling costs as making wise decisions when determining the fate of unserved food can affect the bottom line.
Holiday Food Safety Controls
In case you have not noticed - the holidays are here! We have seen store decorations up since mid-September and early bird deals advertised for several weeks, stretching the typical Black Friday deals throughout the month as retailers strive to ensure market share, while following increasingly stringent mandates for physical distancing
