Advice from Canada's Chief Public Health Officer on Food Safety

The recent listeriosis outbreak and the deaths associated with it have driven home for all of us the importance of food safety. I feel strongly that we all need to understand how to reduce our risk of contracting a food-borne illness.

Listeria itself does not pose a great risk to people who are generally in good health. If a healthy person is exposed to the bacteria and becomes ill, the infection usually clears up on its own.

Some people are at higher risk from listeria and other bacteria, and need to take extra precautions. These include seniors, pregnant women, and anyone with a weakened immune system.  

A woman who develops listeriosis during the first three months of pregnancy may miscarry. If she develops the infection later in the pregnancy, she can pass the infection onto her fetus, resulting in premature delivery, stillbirth or a very sick newborn.

There are some simple steps we can all take to reduce our chances of getting sick:

Wash your hands. This will help avoid many kinds of infections. Wash your hands in warm soapy water before preparing food, afterwards, and again before eating. Read labels and follow cooking and storage instructions for all foods. Make sure to check the “best before” date, and if you find something on the shelf that has expired, let the store know. If you have trouble doing any of this, ask a friend, family member, or store worker to help. Use warm soapy water to clean knives, cutting boards, utensils, your hands and any surfaces that have come in contact with food, especially meat and fish. Rinse fruits and vegetables with water. We often forget that fruits and vegetables can carry the same bacteria as meat. Even if peeled, or if dealing with a melon with a thick rind, we should still wash fruits and vegetables to avoid spreading any bacteria from the surface into the flesh. Refrigerate or freeze perishable food within two hours of cooking. Freeze or consume leftovers within four days of cooking. Always reheat leftovers until steaming hot before eating. Keep refrigerators clean and at a temperature below 4 C, or 40 F. Listeria can grow in the fridge, but the colder it is, the slower it grows. Install a thermometer in your fridge to be sure.

 

Those tips apply to all of us, all the time, and not just during an outbreak.

For seniors, pregnant women, and those with weakened immune systems, or for those serving or caring for anyone in these groups, some extra precautions are very important as all of the following foods pose some risk:

Deli meats or cold cuts - It is possible to reduce your risk by avoiding non-dried sliced meats. Alternatively, bacteria does not grow very well on dry cured, salted meats, like some types of salami and pepperoni, and so they are safer options. Heat kills bacteria, so if you are vulnerable to infection but still want to eat deli meats, you can reduce your risk by heating them until they are steaming hot, whether by microwaving, boiling, frying, broiling, grilling, or other method. Hot dogs – These can only be considered safe after they have been heated until steaming hot. Wash your hands after handling any hot dogs, and be aware that the juice in the package can contain more bacteria than the meat itself. Unpasteurized, or raw, milk, and dairy products made from that milk - For instance, some types of brie, camembert, blue cheese, or feta cheeses are made from unpasteurized milk, and can pose a risk. To be safe, only eat cheese made from pasteurized milk. Cheese is usually clearly labeled, but do not hesitate to ask your vendor for details. Refrigerated pâté and meat spreads - Canned versions, or the kinds we find ready-to-eat on the shelf, are safer because of the process they go through to make them bacteria-free on the shelf. Refrigerated smoked fish and seafood - Smoked fish and seafood that is fully cooked and refrigerated is safer, as are canned or shelf-ready options, again, because of the process they go through to make them bacteria-free on the shelf. Finally, meat should always be thoroughly cooked. For guidelines on how to cook meat safely, please visit : http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/fssa/concen/tipcon/thermoe.shtml

 

Taken together, these steps form a simple approach to food safety. While federal, provincial, and territorial governments continue to work together to protect the health and safety of Canadians, as individuals, we all have a role to play in protecting ourselves and those we care for.

 

Dr. David Butler-Jones, MD
Chief Public Health Officer