What is Listeria and what are its symptoms?

This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Consult a qualified medical professional before engaging in any physical activity or making any changes to your diet, medication, or lifestyle.

Waffle products sold in Canada and the USA Recalled due to fear of Listeria pollution. on October 18 TreeHouse Foods announced It was voluntarily recalling hundreds of frozen waffle products under various brands following “routine testing at its manufacturing facility” in Ontario.

According to the press release, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and the US Food and Drug Administration (US FDA) are aware of the voluntary recall. The CFIA has not yet posted a recall notice on its website, and to date there have been no confirmed reports of illness linked to the recalled products.

Which frozen waffles have been recalled?

The complete list of products included in the recall (including the relevant batch codes) can be found at the bottom of this page. TreeHouse Foods press release. Photos of products associated with the recall available online.

The following brands are among the recalled products:

• No Name

• Great Value

• Vote

• praise

• Breastfeeding is Best

• West Family

• Always Save

• Best Choice

• bettergoods

• Clover Valley

• Fundamentals

• Food Lion

• Food Holding

• Giant Eagle

• Good and Collect

• hannaford

• Harris swinging

• HEB Higher Harvest

• Kodiak Cakes

• Pictures from Price Chopper

• Publix, Schnucks

• SE Markets

• Simple Truth

• tops

What exactly is Listeria and why is it dangerous when consumed? Here’s what you need to know and the symptoms of Listeria you should pay attention to.

What is Listeria?

Infectious diseases specialist at Toronto General Hospital, Dr. Isaac Bogoch described Listeria as a type of bacteria that can be transmitted to people who consume contaminated food.

“It is often associated with certain types of food,” Bogoch said in a September 2023 interview. “It’s more common in some foods than others. But unfortunately, it’s not uncommon to hear of Listeria outbreaks from time to time.”

He said Listeria can be found in:

• Cold cuts, deli meats and hot dogs

• Pasteurized or unpasteurized dairy products

• Store-made salads

• Sometimes in fruits and vegetables

“The interesting thing about Listeria is that normally when you put something in the refrigerator it suppresses bacterial growth, but Listeria actually grows very well in refrigerated environments,” Bogoch explained.

What are the symptoms of Listeria infection?

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency states that food contaminated with Listeria may not look or smell spoiled, but can still make people sick.

According to public health, Listeria symptoms It can start as early as three days after eating contaminated food.

symptoms may include the following:

• Fire

• Nausea

• cramps

• Diarrhea

• Vomiting

• Headache

• Constipation

• muscle aches

“Most people who get Listeria will have diarrhea and gastrointestinal symptoms. It will go away on its own. They don’t even need antibiotics. … And a lot of people probably had Listeria and didn’t even know it,” Bogoch said.

Is Listeria dangerous for everyone?

Pregnant women, the elderly and people with compromised immune systems are at particular risk of serious illness from Listeria, according to Bogoch.

“These individuals are at risk for what we call invasive Listeriosis,” Bogoch said. “This means it can cause a bloodstream infection. … It can be very serious.”

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), invasive Listeriosis It is characterized by “severe symptoms and a high mortality rate (20 to 30 percent).”

symptoms add:

“The incubation period is usually one to two weeks but can vary from a few days to 90 days.” WHO announced.

In pregnant women, infection can also lead to premature birth, infection of the newborn, and even stillbirth.

But treating Listeria is generally not difficult, and people who are hospitalized will receive antibiotic treatment, Bogoch said.

“The key is prevention,” he added, “making sure people are informed about what product is involved so they can avoid it… and that if people have risk factors for a serious infection and have symptoms of infection, there is rapid access to care to ensure that and He said they started treatment.”

Is Listeria contagious?

People become infected with Listeria by consuming contaminated products. Listeria infections do not spread from person to person. However, it is possible for a pregnant person to transmit a Listeria infection to an unborn fetus.

How to prevent Listeria infection?

Food contaminated with Listeria is beyond an individual’s control, Bogoch said, and it depends on how the food is processed before it reaches the consumer. But there are still ways to prevent infection.

“People can cook their meat. … If you cook a hot dog, the bacteria can’t survive,” Bogoch said.

Health Canada said “foods contaminated with Listeria bacteria will appear, smell and taste normal.”

Therefore, people at high risk of serious disease Avoid eating deli meats unless dried and salted or heated until steam escapes. They also need to: avoid pates and meat spreads Unless they are frozen, canned or shelf stable.

Bogoch also advised people to avoid unpasteurized dairy products to reduce the risk of infection. Health Canada said Includes soft and semi-soft cheeses such as brie, camembert and blue-veined cheese.

“People can still contract Listeria through pasteurized products, but unpasteurized products pose a higher risk,” Bogoch said.

The doctor concluded that fruits and vegetables should also be washed thoroughly.

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