- Listeria can live almost anywhere and is commonly found in soil, water and unprocessed foods such as dairy, meat, poultry and processed foods such as deli meats, hot dogs, cheese and ice cream.
- Listeria can also be spread with an infected product or surface, such as hands or kitchen counters during food preparation.
- Healthy children and adults are almost completely immune to Listeria but it’s a different story for pregnant women, infants, people with compromised immune systems and the elderly.
- Only about 4 in 1 million people contract listeriosis in Canada in a year.
- On average in North America one out of every 200 meat and poultry products will contain low levels of Listeria.
- The incubation period for Listeria can be as much as 70 days after exposure, however, symptoms usually appear within two to 30 days.
- Listeria is killed by cooking (165°F/74°C).
- Listeria is not killed by freezing.
- Listeria is one of the oldest living organisms on our planet.
- Listeria is everywhere, so elimination is out of the question. The strategy for the food industry remains one of risk mitigation driven by robust surveillance and sanitation programs.
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