Listeria Watch

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By Annette Gooch
Universal Press Syndicate
Food, drink and fireworks have been central to Fourth of July commemorations ever since the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. About 230 years later, Americans still love celebrating Independence Day with fireworks and foods that point to the nation’s culinary and cultural heritage.
Reflecting a blend of European and regional American influences, the accompanying recipes for grilled sausages, potato salad and coleslaw are straight out of the Midwest.
To complete this traditional picnic menu, offer steamed or grilled sweet corn on the cob and ice-cold lemonade, soft drinks and beer. And before or after the fireworks, serve fresh strawberries and ice cream or cake for dessert.Continue Reading Festive foods for Fourth of July

SACRAMENTO
Central Valley Business Times
June 16, 2006
ï ëJersey Jack’ being recalled
ï Samples found with Listeria bacteria
The California Department of Food and Agriculture has issued an order to hold all cheese labeled as Spring Hill Cheese Co., “Jersey Jack” at the company’s plant in Petaluma, and to withdraw all 8-lb. wheels and 8-ounce wedges of “Jersey Jack,” a brand of Monterey Jack cheese, from retail distribution due to detection of Listeria monocytogenes bacteria.Continue Reading Contaminated cheese may have been sold in Central Valley

Vintage Irish Cheese With Porter, Because of Possible Health Risk
Thursday, June 15, 2006 :
St. Louis, Mo. – infoZine – Swiss-American, Inc. recalled cut pieces of Cahill’s Farm Porter Cheese packaged in random-weight packages of 4.5-7 oz. because Listeria monocytogenes was discovered in sampled product. Listeria monocytogenes is an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms, such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, Listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women. The packages were labeled with sell-by dates of 6-16-06, 6-25-06, 7-02-06, 8-19-06, 9-02-06, 10-10-06.Continue Reading Swiss-American Adds Sell-by Dates to Cahill’s Farm Porter Cheese Recall

Listeria monocytogenes infections are relatively common in sheep, goat and cattle production systems. These bacteria are frequently shed in the manure of apparently normal animals that serve as chronic carriers. The bacteria usually find their way into the ensiled material by soil or manure contamination of the forage prior to, or during, the ensiling process.…

April 26, 2006
Tenerife News
Listeria Monocytogenes is one of the deadliest food-borne bacteria, with a fatality rate of 20%. Listeria enters the body when a person eats contaminated food and it binds, or adheres, to intestinal cells. If it is a viable, it will penetrate the cell wall, causing infection. Once the bacteria have…

April 19, 2006
The Republican (MA)
Carrie Taylor
Q:I recently found out that I’m pregnant and was told I shouldn’t eat lunch meat anymore. Is this true? A:When it comes to the issue of lunch meat and pregnancy, the topic is really about food-borne infection or illness. Food-borne illness occurs on a daily basis to many people. (The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that 76 million cases of food-borne illness are reported each year.)
Unfortunately, certain populations are at greater risk of having life-threatening reactions to food-borne illness. Children, the elderly, immune compromised individuals and pregnant women should take special precautions to safeguard against possible infection.Continue Reading Proper precautions ensure food safety

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a report on April 14 titled, Preliminary FoodNet Data on the Incidence of Infection with Pathogens Transmitted Commonly Through Food – 10 States, United States, 2005. FoodNet collects data from 10 U.S. states regarding diseases caused by enteric pathogens transmitted commonly through food. This report describes…

Thu Apr 13, 2006
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States fell short of its 2005 goal to reduce cases of the foodborne bacteria Listeria by 50 percent, according to a government report released on Thursday.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the rate of Listeria food poisoning rose in 2005 to 3 cases per million people, an increase from 2.7 cases per million a year earlier.
Listeria is a potentially fatal disease for at-risk populations including the very young and elderly. It can cause high fever, severe headache and nausea. U.S. health officials say it triggers about 2,500 illnesses each year and 500 deaths. As recently as 1998 the rate was near 5.0 cases per million.Continue Reading US fails to meet goal on Listeria as rate rises

UGA scientists have found bacteria that kill listeria in processing plant floor drains, where the pathogen is known to settle and multiply.
“There are just a few thousand cases of listeria in humans each year,” said Michael Doyle, a microbiologist and director of the UGA Center for Food Safety in Griffin. “But, of those, about 500 die. That’s a high mortality rate, and that’s why listeria infections are a major concern.”
Pregnant women, cancer patients and transplant patients are among the most frequent known cases.
“Listeria strikes these immunocompromised populations hardest,” Doyle said.Continue Reading Bacteria discovered that kill food pathogen