How do Listeria monocytogenes get into food?
Animals can carry Listeria monocytogenes in their intestines without becoming sick. As a result, the bacteria may be spread to meat and dairy products. Listeria monocytogenes are killed by cooking or by other heating methods, such as pasteurization, used to produce ready-to-eat foods. However, ready-to-eat food can become contaminated after processing within the processing plant or along the route from the plant to your plate. Outbreaks of listeriosis are associated with ready-to-eat foods such as hot dogs, luncheon meats, cold cuts, fermented or dry sausage, and other deli-style meat and poultry. In the home, Listeria monocytogenes are destroyed if ready-to-eat foods are reheated to steaming hot. How do you know if you have listeriosis? Listeriosis has flu-like symptoms, such as fever and chills. Sometimes people have an upset stomach, but not always. If the infection spreads to the nervous system, symptoms such as headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, or convulsions can o
