How can I safely handle refrigerated ready-to-eat foods to avoid Listeriosis?

Listeria monocyotogenes is a bacterium that can cause a serious infection in humans called listeriosis, that results in an estimated 2,500 serious illnesses and 500 deaths each year. Foodborne illness caused by L. monocytogenes in pregnant women can result in miscarriage, fetal death, and severe illness or death of a newborn infant. Others at risk for severe illness or death are older adults and those with weakened immune systems.

Because L. monocytogenes can grow at refrigerator temperatures and is found in ready-to-eat foods, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is advising all consumers to reduce the risk of illness by:

• Using perishable items that are precooked or ready-to-eat as soon as possible;
• Cleaning their refrigerators regularly; and
• Using a refrigerator thermometer to make sure that the refrigerator always stays at 40 degrees F or below.

Since pregnant women, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems are at higher risk for listeriosis, FDA is providing the following advice to those at-risk consumers of foods that have a greater likelihood of containing Listeria monocytogenes:

• Do not eat hot dogs and luncheon meats, unless they are reheated until steaming hot.
• Do not eat soft cheese such as Feta, Brie, and Camembert cheeses, blue-veined cheeses, and Mexican-style cheeses such as "queso blanco fresco."

Cheeses that may be eaten include hard cheese; semi-soft cheeses such as mozzarella; pasteurized processed cheeses such as slices and spreads; cream cheese; and cottage cheese.

• Do not eat refrigerated pates or meat spreads. Canned or shelf-stable pates and meat spreads may be eaten.
• Do not eat refrigerated smoked seafood, unless it is contained in a cooked dish, such as a casserole. Refrigerated smoked seafood, such as salmon, trout, whitefish, cod, tuna, or mackerel, is most often labeled as "nova-style," "lox," "kippered," "smoked," or "jerky." The fish is found in the refrigerator section or sold at deli counters of grocery stores and delicatessens. Canned or shelf-stable smoked seafood may be eaten.
• Do not drink raw (unpasteurized) milk or eat foods that contain unpasteurized milk.

To keep food safe from harmful bacteria, follow these four simple steps: