2023-07-28 13:10:00
Smoked fish such as smoked salmon or trout can be contaminated with the deadly listeria bacteria, a rare infection that can be fatal for some people. “The Sun”.
Listeria is especially dangerous for pregnant women, people with health conditions, those taking immunosuppressive medications, and those over 65 years of age.
Listeria can also contaminate other foods, including pre-cooked packaged meats, seafood, moldy soft cheeses, and pates.
The Food Standards Agency reassures people that heat kills listeria, so people at risk should make sure all food is properly cooked.
And in 2019, an outbreak linked to sandwiches and salads killed six people, according to Gov.uk statistics.
The professor, interim deputy director of gastroenterology and food safety at the UK Health and Security Agency, said: “Usually, listeria infection in most people is either unnoticed, or it may cause a very mild gastrointestinal illness.
However, it can have more serious consequences for some people, especially pregnant women and those with pre-existing health conditions that cause a weakened immune system.
Infection of listeriosis in pregnant women can lead to miscarriage, stillbirth, or serious illness in newborn babies.
More serious infections such as meningitis can also develop in those with weakened immune systems or those over 65 years of age.
People with cancer, an organ transplant, HIV, or who take oral steroids are also considered vulnerable.
According to the World Health Organization, the fatality rate for acute listeriosis, which affects vulnerable groups, is between 20 and 30 percent.
For most people, listeriosis is a mild illness that gets better on its own.
The most prominent symptoms caused by the disease are:
• A high fever of 38°C or higher
• Aches and pains
• goosebumps
• Feeling sick and tired
• Diarrhea
•
Signs of more serious infection include:
Neck stiffness
• confusion
Loss of balance
Convulsions
Pregnant women may also have the following symptoms:
• Collywobbles
• Feeling of fetal movement less than usual
Food care
Listeria bacteria circulate in the atmosphere and can contaminate food at low temperatures, but are destroyed by cooking.
Therefore, refrigerated foods that do not need to be cooked are more likely to carry deadly insects.
Pregnant women are advised to specially cook smoked fish well before eating it.
Ready-to-eat chilled smoked fish should be kept cold (5°C or less), always use products by expiration date, follow storage and use instructions on the label, and cook or reheat smoked fish properly.
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