What is Listeria monocytogenes?

Food Standard Agency expert Dr. Joanne Edge explains the causes of listeria monocytogenes.

Transcript

00:00Have you heard of listeria and what can cause it? Let's take a look.

00:08Listeria monocytogenes is a type of bacteria that causes an illness called listeriosis.

00:14Illness from listeria is rare and in most people it causes mild symptoms such as fever,

00:20vomiting and diarrhoea. However, listeria can sometimes cause serious symptoms and in

00:25the worst cases even death. Some people are much more at risk of getting ill from listeria.

00:32These include elderly people, pregnant women and their unborn babies, newborn babies and

00:37people who are already ill with weakened immune systems.

00:42You can get listeria from different types of food but it's mainly a problem with refrigerated

00:46ready to eat foods that don't have the extra protection of further cooking to destroy bacteria

00:52such as cooked sliced meats, pate, pre-prepared sandwiches and salads, cured meats and smoked

00:59fish, cooked shellfish and mould ripened soft cheeses such as brie and camembert.

01:05The good news is there are several things you can do to reduce the risk of listeria

01:09when preparing food at home. Always keep chilled ready to eat foods cold. Make sure your fridge

01:16is working properly and is set to 5 degrees C or below. Don't be tempted to eat foods

01:21past their use by date. Follow the storage instructions on the food label and use open

01:26refrigerated foods within two days unless instructions on the packaging say otherwise.

01:31Cook or reheat foods until they're piping hot all the way through. Keep raw and ready

01:36to eat foods separate and always wash fruit and vegetables thoroughly especially if eating

01:41them raw. So there you have it, FSA explains listeria. To find out more visit food.gov.uk