Top-level navigation |
Listeria causes a relatively rare form of food poisoning, which rarely affects healthy people, but can cause serious illness in certain groups of people, such as pregnant women, unborn and newborn babies and people with reduced immunity. Illness from listeria has been associated with eating certain chilled foods that are ready to eat. Over the past few years there has been an increase in illness from listeria, mostly in people over 60 who have weakened immune systems. These people might:
If a knife has been used to open a packet containing chicken then put back into the drawer could the germs spread onto other utensils? The length of time that food poisoning bacteria can survive on utensils varies according to a number of factors. The only way you can be sure that a utensil is safe to use is by washing it thoroughly in warm water after every use. You should not put a knife back in the drawer when it has been in contact with food, particularly raw meat or poultry, without washing it first. Otherwise, bacteria could spread to other items in the drawer, or survive on the knife and get onto food the next time you use it.
Foods such as homemade mayonnaise, ice cream, cake mix and mousses can contain raw eggs and therefore carry the risk of salmonella. Commercial products are made using pasteurised egg, which is egg that has been heat-treated to kill bacteria, including salmonella. Commercial products may also contain an acidifying agent which will kill bacteria. Symptoms of salmonella infection include diarrhoea, fever, vomiting and severe abdominal pain. You can be ill for up to three weeks and people may continue to carry the organism for up to 12 weeks or longer after the symptoms have subsided. Normally, relatively large numbers of bacteria are required to cause illness in healthy adults, but vulnerable groups, such as the very young, the elderly and immuno-compromised, can be infected by lower numbers. The Food Standards Agency's advice is that people should avoid eating raw eggs, or uncooked foods made from them, and that elderly people,babies, toddlers, pregnant women and people who are already unwell should eat eggs that have been cooked until the white and yolk are solid. You can reduce the risk of food poisoning from eggs by:
If you can't find the answer you're looking for, send a new question by clicking on the link below. If Sam can't answer your question, one of her colleagues in the Agency might be able to help.
Click here to email SamWe can't answer every question individually, but we regularly publish answers on a selection of topics.