Summer is synonymous with enjoying ice cream, but recently a chilling bacterial outbreak in 11 US states seems to have broken the tradition. More than 60 ice cream products from several major ice cream brands including Friendly’s, Jeni’s, Hershey’s, Chipwich, and more have been recalling their products due to fears that they may be contaminated with listeria, according to a press release by Food and Drug Administration (FDA) earlier this week. In the United States, listeria, is the third leading cause of death from foodborne illness, killing about 260 a year, according to the CDC.
Its presence in dozens of commonly consumed dairy products has become a cause of concern for authorities. What is listeria? According to the United States Centers for Disease Control (CDC), bacterial infection also known as listeriosis, is typically contracted by consuming foods infected with the bacteria named Listeria monocytogenes. Bones, joints, and locations in the chest and abdomen are among the various body parts that listeria infections might sometimes affect.
The bacterium is also “a hardy germ, and it is tough — it can survive for a long time,” Dr. Gieraltowski told The Washington Post . It is so determined to stick around that it can continue to grow while refrigerated, which even fellow bacterial villains salmonella and E.
coli cannot do. How does it end up in food? Listeria bacteria, naturally found in soil, can contaminate plants and animals that come into contact with it. .
