In February of this year Gold Kist, Inc., a poultry processor headquartered in Atlanta, removed 114,000 pound of chicken nuggets from distribution. The move followed the discovery of listeria bacteria in one of 96 samples taken by Ohio health officials from a Dayton, Ohio warehouse. The chicken was processed at the company's plant at Boaz, Alabamba in January and then shipped to warehouses in Ohio and five other states for distribution through the federal school lunch program.
A report in the Austin, Texas American Statesman http://www.austin360.com earlier in February alleged Gold Kist plants in Alabama that supplied the school lunch program were processing diseased or unclean chickens. Both the company and the head of the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service responded by saying the food was safe.
In 1999 there were thirty outbreaks of listeriosis due to meat contaminated by Listeria monocytogenes. The worst was the one at Sarah Lee subsidiary Bil Mar Foods in Michigan. That out break killed 15 people, caused six miscarriages and seriously sickened more than 80 other people. It is now estimated that the listeriosis kills about 500 Americans and hospitalizes 2,000 more each year.
In response to the increasing concern over listeria the United States Department of Aagriculture approved rules that will allow processor to increase the use of sodium diacetate, sodium lactate and potassium lactate. The additives, which are naturally occurring salts and acids, will retard the growth of Listeria bacteria. The three chemicals have been used by processors as a flavor enhancer for years.
Plants are not now required by the government to test for Listeria before food is shipped to consumers.
Listeria infections are particularly risky for pregnant women because a miscarriage can result even though no symptoms are experienced.
It is most often found in soft cheese like Brie or feta,
unpasteurized milk products, under cooked meat, poultry or seafood or even ready-to-eat products like deli meats and hot dogs such as those manufactured by Bill Mar Foods.
Since the medical profession is largely unfamiliar with the disease the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) http://www.cspinet.org/ is distributing free brochures explaining how pregnant women can take precautions. Among the precautions listed in the brochure, entitled Healthy Eating for Pregnant Moms, are:
_Do not eat products made from unpasteurized milk, and avoid soft cheeses like Brie.
_Reheat ready-to-eat foods _ even cold cuts _ until they are
steaming or do not eat them. Cook meat and poultry until well-done.
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