Frozen Food Recall Due to Listeria

Frozen Food Recall Due to Listeria
The NSW Food Authority announced a recall of frozen vegetables due to concerns of possible listeria contamination, on Aug. 1, 2018. (NSW Food Authority)
Mimi Nguyen Ly
8/1/2018
Updated:
9/4/2018

The NSW Food Authority announced a recall of frozen vegetables on Aug. 1 due to concerns of possible listeria contamination.

Metcash, a wholesale distribution and marketing company in Australia, recalled the 1kg Black & Gold mixed vegetables. The recall applies to consumers who bought the product from IGA, Campbells, or Independent Grocers in NSW, Victoria, and Tasmania.

“Consumers should not consume this product and should return it to the place of purchase for a full refund,” NSW Food Authority wrote on its website.

The product should be returned regardless of the best before date.

Second Recall This Year

This is the second recall linked to listeria concerns in Australia this year. On July 9, Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) announced a recall of a variety of frozen vegetable products due to listeria concerns, after an outbreak in Europe killed nine and caused dozens to fall ill.
A national listeria outbreak killed six people between February and March this year—three in NSW and three in Victoria. The outbreak was linked to Rombola Family Farms, based in Nericon near Griffith.

Listeria bacteria can cause fever and muscle aches, as well as nausea and diarrhoea. In severe cases, the infection can be fatal. In pregnant women, listeria can cause miscarriage, stillbirth, or premature birth. Those more prone to the infection include those with weakened immune systems, which include newborns and the elderly.

According to the FSANZ, listeriosis can be prevented by following good food and eating practices, including:
  • Refrigerate perishable foods and eat them as soon as possible
  • Pregnant women should avoid ready-to-eat foods
  • Thoroughly cook raw meats and wash raw fruit and vegetables before eating
  • Avoid cross-contamination, for example, use separate cutting boards and knives for raw and ready-to-eat food, and store cooked food separately from raw foods
  • Wash hands thoroughly before preparing or eating food
From NTD.tv