Consumer Affair
By FSIS
Aug 24, 2005
To help consumers avoid listerosis caused by Listeria, FSIS offers following advice:
Wash hands with warm, soapy water before and after handling raw meat and poultry for at least 20 seconds. Wash cutting boards, dishes and utensils with hot, soapy water. Immediately clean spills.
Keep raw meat, fish and poultry away from other food that will not be cooked. Use separate cutting boards for raw meat, poultry and egg products and cooked foods.
Do not eat hot dogs, luncheon meats, bologna or other deli meats unless reheated until steaming hot.


Do not eat refrigerated pate, meat spreads from a meat counter or smoked seafood found in the refrigerated section of the store. Foods that don’t need refrigeration, like canned tuna and canned salmon, are safe to eat. Refrigerate after opening.
Do not drink raw (unpasteurized) milk and do not eat foods that have unpasteurized milk in them.
Do not eat salads made in the store such as ham salad, chicken salad, egg salad, tuna salad or seafood salad.
Do not eat soft cheeses such as Feta, quesco blanco, quesco fresco, Brie, Camembert cheeses, blue-veined cheeses and Panela unless it is labeled as made with pasteurized milk.
Use precooked or ready-to-eat food as soon as you can. Listeria can grow in the refrigerator. The refrigerator should be 40 “F or lower and the freezer 0 “F or lower. Use an appliance thermometer to check the temperature of your refrigerator.