Ireland: People urged to cook frozen fruit and vegetables because of Listeria findings

Published 2022년 5월 21일

Tridge summary

A recent survey by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) and safefood has uncovered Listeria monocytogenes in 27 out of 906 samples of non-ready-to-eat (non-RTE) frozen vegetables, fruits, and herbs. Although the levels of the bacterium were low, the risk could be higher for immunocompromised individuals or those with improper handling and preparation practices. The survey also highlighted a lack of clear cooking instructions on the packaging of 37 out of 399 samples. A separate survey found that a third of adults regularly consume uncooked frozen produce, with a quarter believing that sweetcorn does not need to be cooked. Despite this, 9.8% of frozen sweetcorn samples were found to contain low levels of Listeria monocytogenes. Both organizations are emphasizing the importance of following manufacturing instructions and hygiene practices to minimize the risk of Listeria infection.

Disclaimer:The above summary was generated by Tridge's proprietary AI model for informational purposes.

Original content

Listeria monocytogenes has been detected in a number of frozen vegetables tested in Ireland. The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) said findings show a potential risk of illness for consumers who have non-ready-to-eat (RTE) frozen vegetables, fruits or herbs without cooking. After a 2015 to 2018 listeriosis outbreak in Europe traced to uncooked non-RTE frozen sweetcorn and other vegetables, a national microbiological survey on frozen vegetables, fruits and herbs sold in Ireland was done between August and November 2019 by the FSAI. More than 50 people were sick from five countries and 10 died in the outbreak linked to vegetables made by Greenyard in Hungary. Of 906 samples tested for Listeria monocytogenes in Ireland, 27 were positive, and 21 were non-RTE frozen vegetables. It was detected in four samples of RTE frozen fruits and two RTE frozen vegetables. Low levels but a risk with frequent consumption Listeria monocytogenes was below the limit of detection at under 10 ...

Source: Foodsafetynews