There's little that's less fun than foodborne illness. In case you missed it, a listeria outbreak is making headlines, getting people sick (and worse), and turning people away from salad. As always, knowledge is our ally here, so I thought it prudent to cover some basics about both the outbreak and listeria generally.Let's get this out of the way:
It's still safe to buy and eat salad from Foods For Living.
Foods For Living doesn't sell any of the brands that were affected by the outbreak, so there's nothing to worry about here.
As noted at the Center for Disease Control and Prevention website, the affected brands are:
- Dole
- Fresh Selections
- Simple Truth
- Marketside
- The Little Salad Bar
- President's Choice Organics
These brands are all packaged at multiple facilities. It seems that the listeria outbreak originated at a Dole packaging facility in Springfield, Ohio. (Springfield was also the home of 4H founder Albert Belmont Graham, and the first U.S. city with an African American mayor, so don't let this listeria thing tarnish your impression.)
Packaged foods usually bear a manufacturing code that indicates their origins, for precisely times like this.
The manufacturing code for the Springfield Dole plant begins with "A." If you have salads from the above brands, and they have codes beginning with "A," you should throw them away. You should wash the refrigerator drawer/area that held the salad thoroughly. You should also wash cutting boards, bowls, and anything else that may have contacted contaminated salad.
How bad is listeria?
As these things go, not too bad. Don't get me wrong—it can make you sick, and even kill you, but your experience with it depends on your immune system. And it's not ebola. As with many bacterial infections, the young, elderly, and pregnant mothers are most at risk. Sadly, there has been a death associated with this outbreak in Michigan. That said, you are more likely to have severe digestive issues and fever symptoms than anything. Listeria is a bacterium, so an infection can become invasive; that is, it can move from an initial infection site (such as the GI tract) to other systems (such as the blood). If you suspect you may have listeria, you should certainly see your doctor immediately. A blood test is usually conclusive.
Is this outbreak unusual?
Listeria outbreaks happen every year, but not often. Each one is considered a serious public issue, and investigated by the CDC. About 1,600 people get listeria each year; an average of 240 people die from it. Last year, Karoun Dairies and Blue Bell Creamery both had listeria issues. One or two big outbreaks each year is par for the course.
How can you prevent getting listeria?
I'll list the CDC's guidelines here verbatim:
- Rinse raw produce, such as fruits and vegetables, thoroughly under running tap water before eating, cutting, or cooking. Even if the produce will be peeled, it should still be washed first.
- Scrub firm produce, such as melons and cucumbers, with a clean produce brush.
- Dry the produce with a clean cloth or paper towel.
- Separate uncooked meats and poultry from vegetables, cooked foods, and ready-to-eat foods.
Special consideration should be given to things like liquid from hot dog packages that spills into the refrigerator. No one likes to puncture a dog, but don't let the shame keep you from using hot water and soap on the area after you spill.
Is anyone doing anything about this?
There has been a recall, of course. You should still be vigilant and ensure that the salad you're buying didn't get missed.
Besides that, there is always an investigation from the FDA and CDC with a listeria outbreak. Though we don't know how this will proceed in the case of Dole, we can assume it will be similar to the process initiated in the Karoun case.
What now?
Wash your produce, clean your meat spills, check your salad packages for the "A," and shop without worry at Foods For Living. Next week we can talk about something more fun!
