Pre-sliced celery products are just one of the recalls due to listeriosis. Image: Flickr / Franchesca Nocella / CC-BY-SA
Listeriosis is a bacterial infection that most often causes muscle aches and can lead to meningitis. In the United states, a Texas processing plant has ordered a celery recall over risk of listeriosis. In Canada, sliced ham products distributed in Quebec are also being recalled.
Listeriosis cause and symptoms
Listeriosis is caused by a bacteria called Listeria monocytogenes. Listeriosis is relatively uncommon in most humans. Newborns, elderly and individuals with weak or malfunctioning immune systems are most likely to get the infection. The biggest risk of listeriosis is meningitis, a brain and spinal cord infection. Listeriosis takes anywhere from three to 70 days to occur after exposure. Because listeriosis can have such a long incubation period, tracking the causes of the infection can be very difficult.
Listeriosis caused by celery
One produce processor in Texas has been ordered to shut down production and recall chopped celery. Up to 10 cases of listeriosis and five deaths have been blamed on the chopped celery. SanGar Produce & Processing Co. has been shipping Fresh Cut Produce to schools, hospitals and restaurants. The Texas processing plant has been found to have everything from hand-washing problems to a condensation leak. The recall affects only pre-sliced celery sold to institutions in Texas and Oklahoma. SanGar Produce has released a statement saying that “independent inspectors” have found no problems, and the company is fighting the Texas Department of State Health Services’ findings.
Sliced ham found to cause listeriosis
In Ottowa, Canada, health officials have started a recall of ready-to-eat sliced ham. Four L. Fortin sliced ham products with best-before dates of 2010NO12 are being recalled. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has found that this ham contains the bacteria that could cause listeriosis. No cases of the bacterial infection have yet been found to be connected to the Four L. Fortin sliced ham recall. The meat products included in this listeriosis recall were distributed only in Canada.
Where in oklahoma was this stuff found
The Oklahoma department of health is investigating — it is possible no connected cases were in the state. The FDA and ODH will report when and if they find anything.