Listeria infections are uncommon, with around 1,600 people in the U.S. affected each year. However, certain foods are more likely to carry Listeria than others. To prevent infection, it's important to take precautions when handling these high-risk foods. This is especially crucial if you or anyone you prepare food for is more vulnerable to Listeria infection.
Prevention Steps and Strategies
If you belong to a higher-risk group, it's important to make safer food choices to protect your health or pregnancy. Here's a list of foods to avoid and safer alternatives:
Avoid:
Soft, unheated cheeses like queso fresco, queso blanco, and requesón, whether made from pasteurized or unpasteurized (raw) milk.
Any cheese made from raw (unpasteurized) milk.
Deli meats, cold cuts, hot dogs, and fermented or dry sausages that are unheated.
Premade deli salads like coleslaw, potato, tuna, or chicken salad.
Refrigerated pâté or meat spreads.
Refrigerated smoked fish.
Raw or lightly cooked sprouts.
Cut melon left out for more than 2 hours (or 1 hour if exposed to temperatures above 90°F).
Raw (unpasteurized) milk, yogurt, and ice cream.
Choose These Instead:
Hard cheeses made from pasteurized milk, like Asiago, Cheddar, Parmesan, or Swiss.
Pasteurized versions of cottage cheese, cream cheese, string cheese, feta, and mozzarella.
Queso fresco-type cheeses or unpasteurized cheeses that are heated to 165°F or until steaming hot.
Deli meats, cold cuts, hot dogs, and sausages reheated to 165°F or steaming hot.
Homemade deli salads.
Pâté or meat spreads that are sealed in airtight containers and do not require refrigeration before opening.
Smoked fish that’s sealed in airtight containers or packaging that doesn’t need refrigeration before opening.
Smoked fish cooked in casseroles or other dishes.
Sprouts that are fully cooked until steaming hot.
Cut melon stored in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Pasteurized milk, yogurt, and ice cream.
What to Do if You're Affected by a Meat Recall
For Healthy Individuals Not at High Risk
If you are generally healthy and not at an increased risk of severe infections, you should take the following steps:
Discard any recalled meats or contact the store for a return.
Check your fridge for any recalled deli meats and throw them out or return them. Listeria can grow on foods kept in the refrigerator.
Clean your refrigerator, containers, and surfaces that may have come in contact with the recalled meats.
For Individuals at Higher Risk
Listeria poses a greater risk to certain groups, including pregnant people, those aged 65 and older, or individuals with a weakened immune system due to medical conditions or treatments. While others can get infected, serious illness is less common.
If you are pregnant, over 65, or have a weakened immune system:
Avoid deli meats or reheat them to an internal temperature of 165°F or until steaming hot to kill potential germs. If preferred, allow it to cool before eating.
Take steps to reduce your risk of Listeria contamination.
Be aware of which foods are more likely to carry Listeria and choose safer alternatives.
What Businesses Should Do
Businesses should always follow the USDA-FSIS guidelines to prevent Listeria contamination in deli areas and ensure proper food safety practices are in place.
Symptoms of Listeria
Listeria can be particularly dangerous for certain groups of people, including pregnant women, those 65 or older, and those with weakened immune systems. For these individuals, It can spread beyond the gut and lead to a more severe infection known as invasive listeriosis.
For pregnant individuals, Listeria can lead to pregnancy loss, early delivery, or serious infection in the newborn.
For those aged 65 or older or with weakened immune systems, Listeria often results in hospitalization, and in some cases, it can be fatal.
Symptoms of Listeria typically appear within 2 weeks of eating contaminated food, but they can start as soon as the same day or up to 10 weeks later.
Pregnant individuals usually experience fever, muscle aches, and fatigue.
Symptoms for non-pregnant individuals often include fever, muscle aches, and tiredness. In some cases, people may experience a headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, or seizures.
