High Risk Foods: Worth the Risk?

Monday, July 11th, 2011

This week I’m doing something a little different – responding to a question I received regarding last week’s post!

Hey Bethany,

My mom always warns me about eating sandwiches w/mayo – like egg salad from Starbucks. Is she right? (in the summer?)

David

Thank you David for your thoughtful question! Mom has a reason to be concerned; however, with proper precautions, egg salad can be eaten safely. If you are not a pregnant woman or currently undergoing cancer treatment, you are at a lower risk of serious illness from listeria; however, this does not mean it can’t happen.

Why is egg salad a concern? According to the USDA’s Food Safety & Inspection Service, egg salad could contain Listeria, harmful bacteria found in many foods. Listeria can cause listeriosis, an illness that can be serious, especially in pregnant women and those who have compromised immune systems from cancer treatments.

How do you know if you have listeriosis? Unfortunately, you may not know you have it, as it can take many weeks to show up. At first, it may feel like you have the flu. Later on, you could develop a stiff neck, headaches, convulsions, or lose your balance. If you think you may have listeriosis, contact your physician immediately for treatment.

What foods may contain Listeria? Deli and luncheon meats, refrigerated paté and meat spreads from the deli, raw unpasteurized milk, egg/ham/tuna/chicken/seafood salads made in stores, and soft cheeses (like brie and feta) made with unpasteurized milk.

Most importantly, how can I keep my food safe? Use these tips from USDA’s Fight BAC® Campaign to prevent many types of food borne illness:

Fight Bacteria – Fight BAC!®

1. Clean: Wash hands often with soap and warm water. Use clean dishes, spoons, knives, and forks. Wash countertops with hot soapy water and clean up spills right away.

2. Separate: Keep raw meat, fish, and poultry away from other food that will not be cooked.

3. Cook: Cook food to a safe minimum internal temperature. Check with a food thermometer.

4. Chill: Refrigerate or freeze within 2 hours–refrigerate or freeze within 1 hour in hot weather (above 90 °F). Don’t leave meat, fish, poultry, or cooked food sitting out.

What else can I do to keep my food safe from Listeria?

Listeria can grow in the refrigerator. Use a refrigerator thermometer to check your refrigerator’s inside temperature. The refrigerator should be 40 °F or lower, and the freezer 0 °F or lower.
Reheat purchased luncheon and deli meats until they are steaming hot before eating.
Purchase fresh meats to prepare your own spreads over deli meat spreads.
Choose pasteurized milk and soft cheeses made with pasteurized milk.
If you enjoy egg, tuna, chicken, ham or seafood salads, prepare it at home using proper food safety practices instead of buying pre-made at the store.
Clean up all spills in your refrigerator right away–especially juices from hot dog packages, raw meat or chicken/turkey.
Clean the inside walls and shelves of your refrigerator with hot water and liquid soap, then rinse.
Use precooked or ready-to-eat food as soon as you can. Don’t store it in the refrigerator too long.
Wash your hands after you touch hot dogs, raw meat, chicken, turkey, or seafood or their juices.

The information above was obtained from www.fightbac.org.

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