{"id":343,"date":"2013-05-10T07:36:58","date_gmt":"2013-05-10T17:36:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogsksbeedu.wpenginepowered.com\/kapalamafoodandnutritionservices\/?p=343"},"modified":"2013-05-10T07:38:05","modified_gmt":"2013-05-10T17:38:05","slug":"keep-bacteria-out-of-your-kitchen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.ksbe.edu\/kapalamafoodandnutritionservices\/2013\/05\/10\/keep-bacteria-out-of-your-kitchen\/","title":{"rendered":"Keep Bacteria Out of Your Kitchen"},"content":{"rendered":"
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If you eat food contaminated with bacteria called Listeria<\/i>, you could get so sick that you have to be hospitalized. And for certain vulnerable people, the illness could be fatal.\u00a0Contaminated food can bring Listeria <\/i>into the home. Unlike most bacteria, L<\/i>isteria <\/i>germs can grow and spread in the refrigerator. So if you unknowingly refrigerate Listeria<\/i>-contaminated food, the germs not only multiply at the cool temperature, they could contaminate your refrigerator and spread to other foods there, increasing the likelihood that you and your family will become sick.<\/p>\n

\u00a0Those most at risk for listeriosis\u2014the illness caused by Listeria monocytogenes\u2014<\/i>include pregnant women, older adults and people with compromised immune systems and certain chronic medical conditions (such as HIV\/AIDS, cancer, diabetes, kidney disease, and transplant patients). In pregnant women, listeriosis can cause miscarriage, stillbirth, and serious illness or death in newborn babies.<\/p>\n

\u00a0What foods could be contaminated?<\/p>\n

\u00a0L<\/i>isteria <\/i>has been linked to a variety of ready-to-eat foods, including deli meats, hot dogs,smoked seafood and store-prepared deli-salads. A draft study released May 10, 2013 by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) evaluates the risk of listeriosis associated with foods prepared in retail delis. There are many steps that deli operators and processing establishments that supply food to delis can follow to reduce the risk of listeriosis.<\/p>\n

\u00a0FDA and FSIS recommend that consumers at risk for developing listeriosis\u2014including older adults, pregnant women and people with compromised immune systems\u2014reheat hot dogs and lunch meats until steaming hot.\u00a0At-risk consumers are also advised to avoid unpasteurized milk and soft cheeses (such as feta, brie, camembert, blue-veined cheeses, “queso blanco,” “queso fresco” or Panela), unless they are made with pasteurized milk.\u00a0And Listeria <\/i>can sometimes be found in other foods. In 2011, a multi-state outbreak of listeriosis tied to contaminated cantaloupes caused illnesses and deaths.<\/p>\n

\u00a0Donald Zink, Ph.D, senior science advisor at FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, says FDA is aware of cases of foodborne illness caused by bacteria that can live in the kitchen and spread to foods that had not been contaminated.Consumers are advised to wash all fruits and vegetables under running water just before eating, cutting or cooking, even if you plan to peel the produce first. Scrub firm produce such as melons and cucumbers with a clean produce brush.<\/p>\n

\u00a0To further protect yourself and your family from Listeria<\/i>, follow these steps:
\nKeep Refrigerated Foods Cold<\/b><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u00a0Chilling food properly is an important way of reducing risk of Listeria infection. Although Listeria <\/i>can grow at refrigeration temperatures, it grows more slowly at refrigerator temperatures of 40 degrees F or less.<\/p>\n

\u00a0Keep your refrigerator at 40 degrees F or lower and the freezer at 0 degrees F or lower.<\/p>\n