Pre-packaged food can reduce potential risk of Listeria read more at here www.spinonews.com/index.php/item/926-pre-packaged-food-can-reduce-potential-risk-of-listeria

There are many reasons that a person might want to avoid eating pre-packaged food, and now you can add another to the list as a number of ready-to-eat salads have been recalled due to a potential Listeria risk.

Listeria can lead to serious infections that are sometimes fatal, and it most commonly affects young children, the elderly people who have weakened immune systems. It can also cause stillbirths and miscarriages in pregnant women.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), around 1,850 Americans will get seriously ill every year with listeriosis, and 425 people will die from it. In addition, pregnant women are 20 times more likely than the average healthy adult to get it.

In many cases, food becomes contaminated with Listeria during processing. Cold cuts and pre-sliced vegetables can become contaminated by poorly clean and hygienic deli equipment.

In vegetables, the contamination can also sometimes be traced to the soil or the manure that is used to fertilize it. Pre-packaged salads and vegetables are often prepared in the same place as ham or chicken salad.

Food that is contaminated with Listeria does not always smell or look bad, but it still has the potential to make people very sick. Healthy people can also be affected, although their symptoms are generally short-term and limited to, severe headaches, nausea, high fever, diarrhea, and abdominal pain.

With so many products being recalled recently due to Listeria, many people find that they can gain their own vegetables and slicing them at home. Although pre-sliced vegetables are convenient, it's really not that difficult to slice, and you can save a lot of money in the process.

This can also reduce risk of Listeria by thoroughly washing any fruits and vegetables before consuming, while everybody should avoid eating deli meats and soft-serve ice cream, especially pregnant women, as they have been linked to a higher risk of cancer.