Listeria in food – How to reduce the health risk – Heilpraxis

Food recalls due to Listeria, a health hazard

Pathogens in deli meats, fish contaminated with harmful bacteria: Over the past few weeks, various food recalls due to listeria have occurred. Even some deaths have been linked to these germs. Experts explain how the health risk of these pathogens can be reduced.

Many foods are recalled each year because of Listeria. These bacteria can cause serious health problems. Particular caution applies especially to the elderly, immunocompromised and pregnant women. However, anyone who finds out about the current warnings and pays attention to good kitchen hygiene can protect themselves, explains the Schleswig-Holstein Consumer Center (VZSH) in a current issue. Message.

contaminated food

The Federal Office for Consumer Protection and Food Safety (BVL) publishes on its portal “foodwarning.de“ regular product recalls. Product lots contaminated with Listeria are a common reason for recall.

This year alone, there have been, among others warnings before various cheeses, salamis or finished products because of listeria. Companies usually discover the contamination during their own quality checks.

With the help of food monitoring they then issue a recall and publish important key data such as expiry dates or batch numbers.

Consumers can usually return the affected product to the retailer without a receipt and receive one. purchase price refunded.

Good kitchen hygiene is crucial

Listeria are bacteria that are mainly ingested through food and diseases to be able to lead. In addition to animal products, plant products can also be affected because the bacteria are in the soil and thus reach the plants.

Optimal growth conditions for these pathogens prevail between -0.4 and +45 degrees Celsius. That’s why they survive well in salads, even in the fridge. “To protect against listeria, raw plant-based foods should be thoroughly cleaned before consumption. wash. This also applies to organic products »explains Saskia Vetter from VZSH.

For animal feed, it’s the right one kitchen hygiene decisive. Raw meat products should be prepared on a separate cutting board and heated before consumption to at least a core temperature of 70 degrees.

Cutting boards, knives and plant and animal food processing steps should always To cut to avoid cross contamination.

the disease can be dangerous

In healthy adults, an infection with listeria, or listeriosis, is usually mild or follows a harmless course with flu-like symptoms such as fever and muscle aches or vomiting and diarrhoea, explains the Bavarian State Office for health and food safety (LGL).

The disease is especially dangerous for immunocompromised elderly people or pregnant women. Listeria infections can occur during pregnancy miscarriages carry out. In the elderly, blood poisoning and meningitis can occur in severe cases.

Sensitive consumer groups should therefore avoid raw milk cheeses, tea sausages, minced pork or pre-cut salads. give up.

Listeriosis is a reportable disease, every year about 600 reports in Germany go to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) a. (ad)