Listeria: What to know after Boar's Head outbreak, waffle recalls

Over 7 million pounds of sliced deli cold cuts, almost 12 million pounds of ready-to-eat meat and poultry and hundreds of frozen waffle products have been subject to recalls in recent months because they may have been contaminated with listeria, a bacteria that can cause illness and even death.

These products have a far reach into the consumer food chain. They are found in school lunches, packaged as various store brands as well as prepared foods sold at scores of supermarkets.

The recalls and outbreak have highlighted ongoing challenges with food safety and monitoring for the potentially deadly bacteria.

Every year, about 1,600 people get listeria infections and 260 die as a result, according to CDC estimates. Pregnant women, newborns, people with compromised immune systems and people over the age of 65 are most at risk.

Between 2019 and 2023 on Long Island, there were 82 cases of listeriosis, the infection caused by listeria, according to state data. The annual cases during that time ranged from five to seven cases in Suffolk County and nine to 13 in Nassau.

"One of the major risk factors is eating unpasteurized dairy products such as milk and cheese," said Dr. Andrew Handel, a pediatric infectious diseases expert at Stony Brook Children’s Hospital. "Over the years, we've also seen that a number of other food sources ... anything from cantaloupe to bean sprouts have been contaminated with it."

Boar's Head largest outbreak

The listeria outbreak traced back to Boar's Head foods, which was first detected in July, is the largest since 2011, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Fifty-nine cases of listeriosis and 59 hospitalizations tied to the outbreak have been reported across 19 states, according to the agency. Ten people died, including two in New York, as a result of eating listeria-contaminated food.

After the initial recall, many food stores shut their delis to deep-clean equipment while disposing of items that may have had listeria contamination.

BrucePac recall hits LI schools

On Oct. 9, after routine testing by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service, there was another recall,  ultimately of 11.8 million pounds of ready-to-eat meat and poultry, from Oklahoma-based BrucePac. There have been no reports of illnesses but consumers have been urged to check their refrigerators and freezers for products which include salads, wraps and other items that could contain contaminated meat and poultry.

BrucePac products are sold to other companies where they are used in packaged food for brands including Trader Joe’s, Amazon Kitchen, Dole, Evol and 7-Eleven. The Food Safety and Inspection Service has posted a 400-page document listing products and showing labels of brands.

Long Island schools were among 200 schools nationwide that were part of the recall, Newsday reported.

Waffles and pancakes

Last week, Treehouse Foods announced a voluntary recall of waffles it manufactures, saying they may be contaminated with listeria. Pancakes were added this week. Those products were packaged under various store brands including Trader Joe’s, Wegmans, Good and Gather, Nature’s Promise and Kodiak Cakes.

"The fact that we are seeing a lot of listeria, E. coli and these virulent pathogens entering our food supply means we need better management of the supply chain and more careful quality control," said Dr. Bruce Farber, chief of epidemiology and public health at Northwell Health.

Potentially dangerous bacteria

Listeria monocytogenes is a bacteria that can be found in soil, water, decaying vegetation and animals, according to the Food and Drug Administration. It can contaminate food during harvesting, processing and packaging.

Some people who consume contaminated food will not become ill while the very young, older people, pregnant people and those with compromised immune systems are more likely to get sick.

Farber said one possible way that the bacteria can get into the food supply is if lettuce is irrigated with water contaminated with listeria, which can be found in meat and animal feces at farms. 

"This organism tends to live in the environment of the meat industry, the vegetable industry," he said. "And it’s a virulent organism similar to salmonella and E. coli."

Listeriosis symptoms include diarrhea and vomiting. People become sick about 24 hours after eating the contaminated food and the illness lasts between one and three days.

"If your immune system is intact and you are otherwise healthy ... your immune system can handle that pretty well," said Dr. Alan Bulbin, infectious disease director at Catholic Health’s St. Francis Hospital.

But people at risk can have much more serious symptoms, such as stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and seizures. Pregnant women with severe illness may experience miscarriages or premature deliveries.

Paying attention to USDA recalls is one way to avoid foods that may have been contaminated, Handel said. And don’t eat unpasteurized dairy products.

"If things need to be refrigerated, don’t leave them out for an hour or two and then put it back. Don’t store your produce with your meat and poultry," Bulbin said. "Wash your vegetables and clean food before you prepare it."

By Lisa L. Colangelo

lisa.colangelo@newsday.com@lisalcolangelo

Lisa joined Newsday as a staff writer in 2019. She previously worked at amNewYork, the New York Daily News and the Asbury Park Press covering politics, government and general assignment.