Key points
- Listeria are hardy germs.
- They spread to and from food.
- Listeria can spread in food processing facilities, where they are hard to fully remove.
- Some foods are more likely to be contaminated with Listeria.
- If we eat food contaminated with Listeria, the germs can spread to us and cause a harmful infection.
How foods get contaminated with Listeria
Listeria are hardy germs.
They can spread to and from food.
Places that Listeria can spread include food processing facilities. After getting into a food processing facility, Listeria can be difficult to fully remove. In the facility, Listeria can spread to food that touches contaminated surfaces or equipment.
The germs even can grow in food kept in the refrigerator.
If we eat food contaminated with Listeria, the germs can spread to us and cause a harmful infection.
Keep in mind
The good news is that Listeria are easily killed by heating food to a high enough temperature.
Foods linked to Listeria
Learn about some foods that are more likely to be contaminated with Listeria – and some recent outbreaks linked to these foods.
Discover why dairy products carry a higher risk of Listeria contamination.
Learn about the risk of Listeria in deli products.
Choose shelf-stable pâte, meat spreads, and smoked fish to stay safe from Listeria.
Sprouts and melons can harbor Listeria.