Recent deaths caused by Listeria are in the news again. Because of the deaths, currently, the CDC is investigating two separate Listeria outbreaks linked to package salads under the brand’s Dole and Fresh Express.
According to the CDC website, https://www.cdc.gov/listeria/outbreaks/packaged-salad-mix-12-21/index.html, here are some of the facts.
The problem at Dole has created
- 16 Illnesses
- 12 Hospitalizations
- 2 Deaths
- Geographic Nature- Developed in 13 states
The problems at Fresh Express are similar, and they also recalled their product and issued the following press release. https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/fresh-express-announces-recall-fresh-salad-products-due-potential-health-risk
Who does it affect?
Listeria can cause severe illness when the bacteria spread beyond the stomach and other body parts of your body.
Adults 65 years and older, pregnant people, and people with weakened immune systems are at higher risk for severe illness.
- Symptoms of a severe illness usually start 1 to 4 weeks after eating contaminated food. However, symptoms can begin as late as ten weeks after.
- Pregnant people usually experience only fever, fatigue, and muscle aches. However, Listeria can cause pregnancy loss or premature birth. It can also cause severe illness or death in newborns.
- People who are not pregnant may experience headaches, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions, in addition to fever and muscle aches.
- Listeria can also cause common food poisoning symptoms, like diarrhea and fever. However, people who experience these symptoms usually recover without treatment.
The Control Of Listeria
The main ingredient in Listeria control is good sanitation practices in a food processing plant. That practice starts with an efficient, proper cleaning and sanitizing schedule. These plans need to be developed by professionals and frequently working closely with their chemical provider. For example, http://www.chemstation.com is a nationwide company with offices throughout the United States and will help its customers in such tasks.
The staff in these plants need to be instructed and reminded that they are the potential carrier of Listeria- on their shoes, on their clothing, and within their bodies. That is one of the reasons many facilities have foot baths or door foamers in their building. This will help stop the cross-contamination when an employee or driver walks in from outside and might be a carrier. In addition, many facilities now restrict their employees from going out during breaks.
Options On Control- Door Way Foamers
We at ChemStation Boston frequently recommend either a door foamer or footbath system, which sanitizes the footwear to remedy this problem. Examples are attached. https://www.foamit.com/products-archive/?solution=doorway-footwear
- Another option for a food plant that might have an opening too large for a foamer or if you want to treat a large area would be to put down a granular product manually. An example of this is Peraguard- Dry PAA Sanitizer Specially Engineered to Prevent Cross-Contamination.
Problems in Floor Drains
One of the most common areas to find Listeria is drains and troughs. The reason is two-fold.
Those areas act as a collection point for most Listeria-contaminated water on-site and then provide the nutrients and moisture required for the Listeria to grow.
These areas will need attention in both the cleaning and sanitizing procedure. In addition, because the bacterium adapts well to many environments and can form biofilms, it attaches to the drain walls and can create a problem to remove.
Many articles will tell you the design of the drains is essential; however, my thoughts are that it is always an afterthought because no food processing plant can make changes to those items after they have been in operation for years.
Proper Cleaning Procedures of The Area
First of all, you need a plan and execute it properly. Then, it helps to use color-coded tools and to segregate them properly. Also, all means should be cleaned and disinfected daily and stored correctly.
Two companies to consider for these tools are
To clean and disinfect your drains, you may consider Sterilex Ultra Disinfectant Cleaner Solution1 and Sterilex Ultra Activator Solution, a two-step process. More information is available at https://www.sterilex.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Ultra_Disinfectant_Cleaner_Solution1.pdf or contacts me directly @ Jbauer@chemstation.com.
In summary
I want to introduce you to our team here at ChemStation Boston. We are part of a nationwide company and offer an environmentally responsible refillable system. Because of tanks, it allows us to save you both space and money! Our team is committed to providing the highest quality service as well. We help you establish your system and any food safety-related aspects you may have. We have exceptional customer reviews, as you will see on our website.
Finally, please join me when you can on my podcast- where you might be the next guest. Cleaning Processes with Jerry https://hospitalitycleaning101.buzzsprout.com/