In recent weeks, two people have died and over two dozen have been hospitalized after falling victim to a multistate deadly listeria outbreak.
Now, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has linked the sickness outbreak to deli meat – and warned that the number of people who have fallen victim to the outbreak is likely higher than official numbers show.
True Extent of Outbreak Revealed
The CDC believes the number of people who have fallen victim to the listeria outbreak is higher than the recorded 28 because many may have had a mild form of the illness, and/or have not been tested for listeria.
Of the 28 recorded illnesses, seven have been recorded in New York, six in Maryland, two each in Georgia, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Jersey and Virginia, and one each in Illinois, Minnesota, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. Deaths were recorded in Illinois and New Jersey.
Symptoms To Look Out For
Most of the people who became sick reported eating ham, turkey, or liverwurst from grocery store delis. All the meat that caused illness was sliced at delis – no pre-packaged deli meat has been linked to the listeria outbreak.
Listeria bacteria can lead to listeriosis, the third leading cause of death from foodborne illness in the US.
CDC Speaks Out
The CDC, “advises people who are pregnant, aged 65 or older, or have a weakened immune system to contact their healthcare provider if they have any listeria symptoms”.
Additionally, they advise “people to take steps to protect themselves from getting listeria from deli meats by avoiding eating meats sliced at the deli unless they are heated before eating.”
Mystery Persists
18 people who became sick with listeria were interviewed – 16 of whom reported eating meats sliced at delis in the four weeks leading up to their illness.
The CDC says it remains unclear what meat is responsible for the illness outbreak – although ham, turkey and liverwurst were the most commonly consumed meats among the ill. So far, the CDC has not issued any recalls stemming from the outbreak.
Staying Safe: How Listeria Spreads
Listeria can easily spread at delis, transferring easily from equipment, surfaces and hands to food. While refrigeration does not kill the bacteria, reheating food can.
The pregnant and elderly, as well as the immunocompromised, are advised not to eat deli meat without first reheating it until it reaches an internal temperature of 165F. Anyone who has had sliced deli meat at home should clean any surfaces that have been in contact with it.
Further Investigations Spark New Revelations
While the contaminated meat came from a variety of stores across multiple states, fingerprint testing showed genetic similarities between the bacteria from sick people, suggesting they got ill from the same food.
The timeline of the outbreak spreads across multiple months – the first person got sick in May and the most recent recorded case was on July 5th.
Advice Isn’t New
“Refrigeration does not kill Listeria, but reheating before eating will kill any germs that may be on these meats,” the CDC says.
This advice isn’t new – the CDC has always advised that elderly, pregnant and immunocompromised people shouldn’t consume deli meats, or should at least first heat them to an internal temperature of 165 Fahrenheit (74 Celsius).
A Rise in Food Recalls Across America
Since 2018, the US has recorded a 115% increase in food and drink recalls – with listeria risks being behind many of these recalls.
In recent weeks, recalls have been made for Snapchill coffee, Charles Boggini Company sodas, Hy-Vee cream cheese spreads and cookies and cream mixes and lead-contaminated children’s applesauce pouches.
Not Just Humans Impacted By Recalls
It’s not just humans impacted by the trend towards increasing recalls. In June, popular dog treat provider TDBBS recalled over 3,500 bags of dog treats due to the potential presence of foreign metal objects in the food.
Meanwhile, Pedigree dry dog food faced a recall in May due to similar concerns about metal presence – with over 300 bags pulled from shelves.
