Frozen foods trigger listeriosois, cases double up this year

Pennsylvania, November 3: No matter how time-saving pre-packed and frozen foods are, they can be potential hazards to the immune systems due to the presence of listeria.

The number of cases of listeria has already doubled, raising alarm on consumption of frozen, pre-packed and ready to eat food items. Most of the people affected with listeria bug are over the age of 60 and could be more susceptible to the fatal bacteria.

This year has seen 400 cases of listeria, which is double the number recorded in 2001, according to the Food Standards Agency (FSA).

"Although 400 cases each year is still quite small, a lot of them get hospitalized and there is a high proportion of deaths," said a spokeswoman from FSA.

According to the FSA spokeswoman many other countries have also recorded higher cases of listeria this year, which are now being linked to the frozen foods. Foods that are pre-cooked and could be consumed right from the cold storage like salads, sandwiches, meats, cheese, pates put the consumers at a high risk of these bacteria.

Foods stored under controlled temperature of below 5C can be termed safe but consumers should not overlook the 'use by' date. "The best before date is about quality but the use by date is about safety," said the spokeswoman.
However, she added that bacteria can be destroyed by heating the pre-packed consumables.

FSA said that it is observed that people are reluctant to throw away foods that still appear safe but have crossed their 'use by' dates or have been left open for a long time outside the fridge or stored in fridge which is not set at a correct temperature. Such carelessness is adding to the cases of listeriosis.

Listeriosis seriously affects young children and the elderly,whose immune systemdefine is weak. It is equally dangerous to pregnant women and those with feeble immune systems due to pre-existing medical conditions.

The bacteria induces vomiting and diarrhoea and can dehydrate sufferes. Recently, FSA issued some guidelines which point that frozen foods should be consumed within four hours and any left-overs or food left in the open for long time should be discarded. FSA has urged consumers to adhere to safety and storage information on food packs.

According to the FSA, the bacteria can incubate for as long as 90 days, so it can be tough to track down the source of contamination.

In addition to FSA guidelines, an awareness campaign will be launched in the coming year to educate the elderly regarding frozen, pre-packed foods. The FSA may further look into the display pattern of safety information like 'use by' date on the packaging, which should appear prominent.