Listeria Thrives at Cold Temps
Most kinds of bacteria grow rapidly between temperatures of 40 and 140 degrees F, some doubling in number in as little as 20 minutes. But Listeria, which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infection, thrives in cold temperatures.
Listeria, which can be killed by pasteurization and cooking, is most often present in uncooked meats, uncooked vegetables, unpasteurized milk and foods made from unpasteurized milk. Processed foods such as soft cheeses, hot dogs and ready-to-eat deli meats may become contaminated at the plant after cooking and before packaging.
Pregnant women, young children and people who have weak immune systems are at highest risk of contracting listeriosis. While a Listeria infection may cause only a mild illness in a pregnant woman, consequences for the baby may include, miscarriage, stillbirth, premature birth or a potentially fatal infection after birth, according the Mayo Clinic.
Symptoms of infection can begin as early as a few days or take as long as two months after consuming contaminated food. They include fever, muscle aches, nausea and diarrhea. If the infection spreads to your nervous system, signs and symptoms may include: headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions.
Each year, 1,600 people become seriously ill and 415 die from listeriosis, according the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The majority of cases are sporadic, making epidemiological links to food very difficult.
In Colorado, an outbreak of Listeria has killed two people and sent at least seven others to the hospital. Colorado health officials are investigating to find the cause of these illnesses. Most of the patients are women in their 30s to 90s.
National food safety experts at PritzkerOlsen, P.A., are also investigating the Colorado listeriosis outbreak. If you have legal questions regarding a possible claim caused by this dangerous foodborne illness, contact our listeriosis attorneys for a free consultation.
